By: Rich Douglas
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Top Prospect
Bruce Rondon - The power arm reliever was projected to become the opening day closer for the Tigers, but a dismal Spring Training forced them to send him back to the minors. Still, Rondon has all the stuff it takes to become a major league closer and should see the role become his either later in this season or the start of the 2014 season. Rondon at the very least will get a callup later on in the year with a fastball that consistently touches 100 MPH. He has no legitimate second pitch as he's still trying to turn his slider into a formidable out pitch. Time in the minors could help him polish that pitch up and possibly allow him to develop an offspeed option as well.
Top Hitter
Nick Castellanos - The 21 year old right fielder has been the Tigers top hitting prospect for over a year now. Castellanos was originally a 3rd baseman, but the Tigers decided to speed up his development, and with Miguel Cabrera manning 3rd at the top level, the young hitter was moved to the outfield. He has an excellent arm, but has been working on his instincts and range ever since making the move to RF. He's still a good enough athlete to wing it as he continues to develop. Castellanos is a solid hitter with good plate discipline and pitch recognition. His power numbers haven't been up there, but he has the ceiling to become a .300 hitter with 15 HRs.
Bronze Medal
Jake Thompson - At just 19 years old, Thompson has a frame that projects into becoming a solid big league pitcher. He doesn't throw as hard as his 6-4 235 lb body would suggest, but he has been known to ramp up the velocity in certain situations while having excellent command and location on his pitches. Thompson has a fastball that sits in the low 90s while also having a slider and changeup that need some polish. Thompson has at least 3 more years of development left in the minors, but hopes are high for the big righty.
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