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Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2005.
1. Curtis Granderson, of
2. Kyle Sleeth, rhp
3. Justin Verlander, rhp
4. Joel Zumaya, rhp
5. Humberto Sanchez, rhp
6. Tony Giarratano, ss
7. Jeff Frazier, of
8. Ryan Raburn, 2b
9. Eric Beattie, rhp
10. Eulogio de la Cruz, rhp
BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average
Curtis Granderson
Best Power Hitter
Scott Moore
Best Strike-Zone Discipline
Curtis Granderson
Fastest Baserunner
Juan Francia
Best Athlete
Bo Flowers
Best Fastball
Eulogio de la Cruz
Best Curveball
Justin Verlander
Best Slider
Kyle Sleeth
Best Changeup
Kyle Sleeth
Best Control
Matt Vasquez
Best Defensive Catcher
Maxim St. Pierre
Best Defensive Infielder
Anderson Hernandez
Best Infield Arm
Anderson Hernandez
Best Defensive Outfielder
Vincent Blue
Best Outfield Arm
Jeff Frazier
TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE
1995 Tony Clark, 1b 1996 Mike Drumright, rhp 1997 Mike Drumright, rhp 1998 Juan Encarnacion, of 1999 Gabe Kapler, of 2000 Eric Munson, 1b/c 2001 Brandon Inge, c 2002 Nate Cornejo, rhp 2003 Jeremy Bonderman, rhp 2004 Kyle Sleeth, rhp
TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE
1995 Mike Drumright, rhp 1996 Seth Greisinger, rhp 1997 Matt Anderson, rhp 1998 Jeff Weaver, rhp 1999 Eric Munson, c/1b 2000 Matt Wheatland, rhp 2001 Kenny Baugh, rhp 2002 Scott Moore, ss 2003 Kyle Sleeth, rhp 2004 Justin Verlander, rhp
LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY
Eric Munson, 1999
$3,500,000
Kyle Sleeth, 2003
$3,350,000
Justin Verlander, 2004
$3,120,000
Matt Anderson, 1997
2,505,000
Scott Moore, 2002
$2,300,000
While the Tigers made a comeback to moderate respectability at the major league level in 2004, improving from 43-119 to 72-90, the farm system may have hit a new low. Given the organization’s dismal track record in player development over the past quarter century, that’s quite a statement.
Detroit won Baseball America’s Organization of the Year award in 1997, but only one time since has BA rated the Tigers system in the top half of baseball. They entered 2004 ranked No. 22, then saw the bottom fall out.
Instead of their best prospects stepping forward, most of them headed in the other direction. Righthander Kyle Sleeth, No. 1 on this list a year ago after going No. 3 overall in the 2003 draft, did well early in his pro debut, only to get tattooed for a 6.30 ERA after a midseason promotion to Double-A.
At least Sleeth had first-half success. Outfielder Brent Clevlen, second on this Top 10 after 2003, hit .223/.300/.349 in high Class A. Most of the rest of the players on last year’s list also were at least somewhat disappointing.
Righthander Joel Zumaya had one of the better years, but his ERA was 4.63. Lefty Rob Henkel, who has fended off injuries throughout his career, had shoulder surgery and missed all of 2004. Righty Jay Sborz showed his control still has a long ways to go. Oft-injured 2001 first-round pick Kenny Baugh pitched a career-high 143 innings but ended the season in the trainer’s room.
There were plenty of setbacks among the hitters. While outfielder Curtis Granderson and shortstop Tony Giarratano enhanced their standing within the organization, the other position players on last year’s Top 10 took a nosedive. Besides Clevlen, third basemen Kody Kirkland (.236/.276/.401) and Scott Moore (.223/.322/.384) also floundered, combining for 274 strikeouts in 247 games.
Making all that failure more difficult to stomach is that the Tigers have been picking near the top of the draft each year. Their first selection has come no lower than No. 14 each year since 1995, and they’ve chosen eighth or earlier seven times during that span.
To this point, only Jeff Weaver has panned out among that group of top picks—and he has yet to have a winning season and was traded in mid-2002. One member of that group played in Detroit in 2004: Eric Munson, who got a club-record $3.5 million bonus as part of a $6.75 million big league contact when he signed as the No. 3 pick in 1999. Munson hit .212 in 2004.
The perennial draft disappointments led to the hiring of former Red Sox scouting director David Chadd in November. Detroit reassigned Greg Smith, scouting director since August 1996, to a special-assignment scout focusing on independent leagues and the Pacific Rim. In Smith’s defense, he doubled as farm director from 2000-02 and had his hands tied at times during former general manager Randy Smith’s tenure. The change came days after Smith finally signed righthander Justin Verlander, the No. 2 pick in the 2004 draft.
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