MLB draft 2022: Breaking down Detroit Tigers' picks in Rounds 11-20
The Detroit Tigers wrapped up the 2022 MLB draft with 10 selections Tuesday in Rounds 11-20.
Over the three days, the Tigers added 19 players: 12 pitchers — but just one before the eighth round — and seven position players.
All of them came from the college ranks.
"Day 3, it was tough," Tigers amateur scouting director Scott Pleis said Tuesday. "We got picked a lot of times, which with analytics and scouting meshed together now, a lot of the (teams) are looking at the same numbers, so that's understandable. ... We got a good group of guys to work with. I thought it went well."
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On Sunday, the Tigers drafted two college position players: Texas Tech second baseman Jace Jung in Round 1 (No. 12 overall) and Oklahoma shortstop Peyton Graham in Round 2 (No. 51 overall).
The next day, the Tigers added San Diego State right-hander Troy Melton (No. 117), Boston College third baseman Luke Gold (No. 147) and North Carolina shortstop Danny Serretti (No. 177) in Rounds 4-6.
Then, the Tigers drafted Tennessee outfielder Seth Stephenson (No. 207), Valparaiso left-hander Jake Miller (No. 237), Georgia Tech first baseman Andrew Jenkins (No. 267) and Oklahoma right-hander Trevin Michael (No. 297) in Rounds 7-10.
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Detroit's first selection Tuesday was No. 327 overall in the 11th round, followed by No. 357 (12th round), No. 387 (13th round), No. 417 (14th round), No. 447 (15th round), No. 477 (16th round), No. 507 (17th round), No. 537 (18th round), No. 567 (19th round) and No. 597 (20th round).
With their final 10 picks, the Tigers drafted Pennsylvania left-hander Joe Miller, Kentucky right-hander Cole Stupp, Kansas State outfielder Dom Johnson, Liberty left-hander Joe Adametz, Florida International right-hander Patrick Pridgen, Illinois-Springfield right-hander Quinn Gudaitis, Villanova right-hander Cole Patten, William Carey left-hander Chris Williams Jr., New Mexico Military Institute right-hander Albert Oliva and Seton Hall right-hander Drew Conover.
"Everybody's looking at the same information," Pleis said. "These guys with good information, good stats and all the stuff we like, everybody is trying to get them. We'll have the whole thing lined up, and that whole row, when we're (in rounds) 11 through 15, that whole row will just get destroyed. Everyone is looking at the same stuff. We got picked several times. It happens."
Meet the newest Tigers, beginning in the 11th round:
Pennsylvania LHP Joe Miller
Age: 22.
Vitals: 5 feet 10, 195 pounds.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
Drafted: 11th round (No. 327 overall).
The buzz: An All-Ivy first team selection, Miller posted a 3.63 ERA this season with 36 walks and 91 strikeouts over 74⅓ innings in 13 games (11 starts). Thanks to his changeup and slider, Miller led the Ivy League in innings pitched and strikeouts. His 91 strikeouts were the second-most in a single season in program history. He has dominated in summer ball and was named Coastal Plains Pitcher of the Year in 2021 for his 1.50 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 42 innings with the Savannah Bananas.
What Pleis said: "We've known about him for a long time. He's going to start. He's up to 93 (mph). He's got a slider and a curveball. He's been on our radar for a long time, but he's just another one of those guys that we had to wait for the right spot to get him."
Kentucky RHP Cole Stupp
Age: 21.
Vitals: 6-4, 205.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: 12th round (No. 357 overall)
The buzz: Two days after leaving his March 25 start, Stupp was ruled out for the remainder of the 2022 season with a forearm injury. Before his departure, he served as Kentucky's Friday night starter in the SEC. He had a 6.31 ERA with 11 walks and 36 strikeouts across 25⅔ innings in six starts this season. His results in a healthy 2021 campaign were much better: 4.76 ERA with 15 walks and 71 strikeouts over 75⅔ innings in 13 starts.
What Pleis said: "We discussed (the injury). He's going to be fine. We talked to the proper people, and they don't have any issues with that at all. He's going to start. He's a strike thrower. We feel like we got a good one there. I don't know if clubs let him slide a little bit because of that, but we don't have any issues with his health. ... He's got a fastball, slider, changeup. The changeup is really good. The fastball, he's got the control that we like. The slider is also good. Can it be better? Yes. But he's got three pitches, throws strikes, competes and has good feel."
Kansas State OF Dom Johnson
Age: 21.
Vitals: 5-9, 185.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: 13th round (No. 387 overall).
The buzz: Back-to-back picks for Kansas State, as right-hander Blake Adams went No. 386 overall to the Colorado Rockies. Johnson, his teammate, transferred to the Wildcats from Oklahoma State for the 2022 season. He hit .345 with 20 doubles, 12 home runs, 25 walks and 48 strikeouts in 57 games, adding 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts. Three attributes stand out and should bode well in pro ball: bat speed, pull-side power and speed. His 20 doubles this year ranked fourth-most in a single season in program history.
What Pleis said: "I'm a little surprised, I guess. He's a good athlete with good numbers. The numbers part, I thought he might get kicked up a little bit (on draft boards). But he got to us, so we were happy about drafting him. ... Good baseball player."
Liberty LHP Joe Adametz
Age: 22.
Vitals: 6-5, 190.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
Drafted: 14th round (No. 417).
The buzz: Adametz missed the entire 2021 season with Tommy John surgery, but he returned this season with the same success he had through four starts in 2020. In 2022, the tall left-hander recorded a 2.51 ERA with 25 walks and 84 strikeouts over 86 innings in 16 starts. The best part about Adametz, a ground-ball pitcher, is his ability to throw strikes with his fastball, slider and changeup, though he doesn't overpower hitters with velocity.
What Pleis said: "A left-handed starter who throws strikes with his fastball, changeup. Changeup is his best pitch. Good numbers and knows how to pitch with good feel."
Florida International RHP Patrick Pridgen
Age: 23.
Vitals: 6-4, 220.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: 15th round (No. 447).
The buzz: Pridgen throws four pitches: fastball, cutter, slider and changeup. His slider produces a high spin rate, but he struggles to throw the breaking ball in the strike zone. During his college career, he went from North Iowa Area Community College to Oregon to Florida International. This year, he had a 4.77 ERA with 44 walks and 112 strikeouts across 71⅔ innings in 14 starts. Pridgen isn't a finished product, and he needs to improve his command across the board, but the Tigers have plenty of raw talent to develop. His 14.07 strikeouts per nine innings ranked No. 1 in Division I for the 2022 season, just ahead of Oregon State's Cooper Hjerpe (14.02), this year's No. 22 overall pick to the St. Louis Cardinals.
What Pleis said: "He's up to 95-96 (mph) with a good slider. Big guy. We like that pick."
Illinois-Springfield RHP Quinn Gudaitis
Age: 23.
Vitals: 6-7, 225.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: 16th round (No. 477).
The buzz: Another strikeout machine, Gudaitis ranked seventh in Division II this season with 13.6 strikeouts per nine innings. He pitched his first four seasons for Division III's Illinois Wesleyan before transferring. This year, he recorded a 4.34 with 29 walks and 100 strikeouts over 66⅓ innings in 17 games (14 starts). His fastball sits mid-90s, and he commands his slider.
Villanova RHP Cole Patten
Age: 22.
Vitals: 6-4, 194.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: 17th round (No. 507).
The buzz: Patten joined Villanova for the 2022 season after spending the past three years at Seton Hall. He logged a 3.98 ERA with 30 walks and 77 strikeouts across 86 innings in 14 games (13 starts) for Villanova, averaging 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings, then had a 2.77 ERA with four walks and 11 strikeouts over 13 innings in four starts as a member of the MLB Draft League this summer.
What Pleis said: "Another starter, another strike thrower. Fastball, changeup. He needs to improve his breaking ball, but his feel with the strikes, we think he's going to be fine."
William Carey LHP Chris Williams Jr.
Age: 22.
Vitals: 6-2, 205.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
Drafted: 18th round (No. 537).
The buzz: The Cincinnati Reds drafted Williams in the 15th round of the 2018 draft out of River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Georgia. Instead of pro ball, Williams attended three schools over four seasons: Chipola Junior College in 2018, Florida International in 2019 and NAIA William Carey in 2021 and 2022. The Tigers drafted Williams, a two-way player, as a left-handed pitcher, but he also served as an outfielder this season. He had a 3.99 ERA, 42 walks and 88 strikeouts over 90⅓ innings in 18 games (16 starts). He hit .333 with 16 doubles, six home runs, 33 walks and 39 strikeouts in 53 games. Williams was the first player from William Carey to be drafted since 2018 and the third NAIA player selected in this year's draft.
What Pleis said: "He's going to be a starter. We think he's a strike thrower. We loved his pitches, up to 96 (mph). He was an outfielder first, then converted to pitcher. But really a good looking kid with a good delivery and a good build. Very interesting kid."
New Mexico Military Institute RHP Albert Oliva
Age: 19.
Vitals: 6-2, 194.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: 19th round (No. 567).
The buzz: Before junior college, Oliva attended the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico. He pitched 14 games and 21⅓ innings, according to New Mexico Military Institute's player profile, and had a 5.48 ERA with 11 walks and 22 strikeouts. Oliva reportedly touched 91 mph in September 2021, sitting around 88-89 mph. He impressed with his curveball, too. He also played 34 games as an outfielder this season, hitting .200 (9-for-45) with two home runs, six walks and 20 strikeouts.
What Pleis said: "Big ceiling here. Fastball, curveball. He sat 91-94 (mph) for us. Some other guys saw a little bit more (velocity) out of him. He messes around with a split. Big upside here. We like the ceiling with this guy."
Seton Hall RHP Drew Conover
Age: 20.
Vitals: 6-5, 190.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: 20th round (No. 597).
The buzz: Conover registered a 5.73 ERA with 25 walks and 43 strikeouts in 33 innings over 18 games (one start) in 2022. He transferred to Rutgers in June and intended to play there until the Tigers drafted him. His biggest issue is his command, but his mid-90s fastball and slider helped him pile up strikeouts. He also throws a sinker and changeup.
What Pleis said: "He needs to fine tune his control numbers, but he's doing well right now. When we get these guys, you're always thinking about who you're going to hand them off to. We feel confident about that, so we went with the big guy with really good stuff."
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MLB draft 2022: All Detroit Tigers' picks in Rounds 11-20
