All signs are pointing to the Kevin McGonigle era with the Detroit Tigers about to begin.
On a warm, sun-drenched Friday evening in Southwest Florida, one of the most anticipated events on the March Grapefruit League schedule was played.
At Bradenton, Florida’s LECOM Park, the third annual Spring Breakout series took place between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers’ top prospects. The showcase game was broadcast on the MLB Network.
What made this exhibition game most intriguing was that the MLB Pipeline’s top two prospects, No. 1 Konnor Griffin of the Pirates and No. 2 McGonigle of the Tigers, were supposed to participate.
Earlier this week, the Tigers pulled McGonigle from the roster traveling from Lakeland, Florida. Developing his skills this late in the spring schedule with the big club points to McGonigle being on the verge of heading north with Detroit on Tuesday, after a final exhibition game in Scottsdale, Arizona, with the Colorado Rockies.
The arrival of McGonigle, the Tigers’ 2023 top draft selection, at the MLB level has been rapidly building over the past three years.
Seventeen games into the Tigers’ spring schedule, and McGonigle is performing like a confident veteran.
In 35 at-bats as of Friday, the 21-year-old natural shortstop from Media, Pennsylvania—22 miles Southwest of downtown Philadelphia—has slapped nine hits, two doubles, one triple, and two home runs. One of those dingers launched by McGonigle came on March 3 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Detroit played two games, March 3 and 4, in the Dominican Republic.
Baseball Hall of Famer and special assistant to Scott Harris, the Tigers’ president of baseball operations, Allan Trammell, has been working with McGonigle since he was drafted. On Friday in Bradenton, Trammell told The Epoch Times that he is impressed with how hard McGonigle is working on his game.
“There hasn’t been any surprises. I think the competition of just being in big league camp has kind of forced him to tighten some things up. He’s played so well defensively. And he’s done quite well with the bat,” Trammell said.
Detroit’s Grapefruit League schedule was interrupted by two tune-up games before the WBC tournament. Although the Tigers came up short 12–4 playing on March 3 before 13,186 fans in the Dominican Republic, McGonigle’s hot bat proved to be a silver lining for the MLB club.
McGonigle registered three hits, three RBIs, scored two runs, and clobbered a leadoff, line drive home run to right field.
If McGonigle does make the Opening Day 26-man roster, finding a spot to position him in the infield is tasked to Tigers’ skipper AJ Hinch and Harris.
Penciled at shortstop is seven-year veteran Zach McKinstry. At second base, where McGonigle is likely to land, is Gleyber Torres. Torres accepted the Tigers’ one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer for the 2026 season. Colt Keith should be the regular third baseman.
“In the beginning of camp, I was looking more to the defensive part of his game,” Trammell said of McGonigle.
“Going from playing third then going to shortstop, going back and forth, it’s not easy. We kind of make it out to be so easy, but it’s not. He’s handled himself quite well.”
During the 2025 season, McGonigle achieved the third-highest slugging percentage in MiLB. When reaching Double-A with the Erie (Pa.) SeaWolves of the Eastern League last summer, McGonigle hit .254 and smacked 43 hits in 46 games. In his brief minor league career, McGonigle has 25 home runs and a .308 batting average.
McGonigle’s stops with West Michigan and starting 2025 with Single-A Lakeland saw both clubs capture their league championships.
According to Trammell, McGonigle is destined for great things at the MLB level, sooner or later.
“Obviously, if he doesn’t make the team out of camp because I don’t know what they (Harris and Hinch) are doing, he’ll be up in Detroit at some point this year for sure,” Trammell said.
Detroit kept McGonigle busy in October by assigning him to the Scottsdale Scorpions, one of the six teams comprising the Arizona Fall League (AFL).
MLB’s top prospects played through mid-November. McGonigle was named MVP of the AFL’s brief season.
Given his continued dominance with his left-handed swing and steady play in the field, it’s difficult to uncover even a weak argument against bringing McGonigle to Motor City beginning next week. Comerica Park, the Tigers’ home since April 2000, is calling for McGonigle. Is the Tigers’ front office listening?