Josue Briceno

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #9 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.
  
  Track Record: After Briceño missed three months in 2024 with a knee injury, the Tigers sent him to the Arizona Fall League to make up for missed at-bats. With fewer than 200 full-season at-bats under his belt, there was a worry that the league would be too advanced for him. Briceño dispelled any concerns with four three-hit games in his first seven starts and proved to be the best player in the league. He became the first AFL player to hit 10 or more home runs since 2011 and slashed .433/.509/.867 to win the first-ever AFL triple crown.
  
  Scouting Report: Briceño’s knee injury was a setback but also an opportunity. It didn’t require surgery, and he spent his rehab time working on strength and conditioning. He improved his fitness and strength, which paid off when he went to the AFL. He also used the time to tweak his swing to better get the ball in the air. For all his power and ability to punish poor offspeed offerings, Briceño has generally used a hit-first approach. There is some length to his swing, and he starts with a bat wrap, but he has plus power potential. Behind the plate, Briceño faces plenty of skepticism about whether he can stay at catcher. His knee injury shouldn’t be a long-term concern—he caught just 16 games in 2024—and he’s going to go back to catching again in 2025. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, he’s already quite big for the position, and his flexibility and athleticism may not make it his best long-term home. Briceño has a plus arm, and his hitting ability and power could fit as a fringy defender at first base.
  
  The Future: Briceño more than made up for lost time at the plate with his standout AFL session. He should head to High-A West Michigan in 2025. His bat is well ahead of his glove, which may eventually help push him to first base.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Field: 40 | Arm: 60.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #18 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Briceno was one of the Tigers’ top international signees in 2022, and the Tigers were impressed with the long and lanky catcher. He’s filled out pretty quickly into a strong, if quite tall at 6-foot-4, catcher. Briceno was one of the stars of the Florida Complex League. He finished top 10 in the league in most offensive categories and earned a late-season promotion to Low-A Lakeland.
  
  Scouting Report: Briceno, like many tall catchers, needs to continue working on his defense. He has above-average arm strength, but his exchange and long arm stroke keeps him from consistently posting better than fringe-average pop times. His blocking also needs to continue to improve. The Tigers have reason to hope he can become an average defender someday, but opposing scouts see him more likely sliding to first base eventually. He has above-average power for his age, and with his big frame and leverage, should continue to develop as a power threat. He demonstrated better-than-expected contact skills in 2023 and was consistently a tough out in both the Florida Complex League and Florida State League.
  
  The Future: Briceno’s catching needs lots of work, but his offensive potential is intriguing. He should be one of the best hitters in the Florida State League in 2024.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Field: 30 | Arm: 40