MLB mock draft 2022: Detroit Tigers pass on local RHP Brock Porter at No. 12

The Detroit Tigers were just too darn good last summer.

After years of losing and picking in the top five for four straight MLB drafts, the Tigers played winning baseball after May last season and rose closer to the middle of the league standings.

Instead of having a shot at Druw Jones and Jackson Holliday — the highly touted sons of former major league All-Stars — the Tigers will pick No. 12 in the 2022 MLB draft on July 17.

This year's class, according to Kiley McDaniel, is short on the star-level college hitters and pitchers featured in recent drafts. That dynamic coupled with MLB's draft-pool system means baseball's top 10 isn't quite as easy to predict as the NBA's or NFL's.

But McDaniel and MLB.com's Jim Callus each gave it his best shot. They agree on what seven players would go first, though the order differs. After that, it's a mishmash of mostly college hitters, who aren't quite the level of prospect their high school peers are.

McDaniel has Texas Tech's Jace Jung to the Tigers at No. 12 while Callis predicts Gavin Cross.

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The lack of expensive, top-flight college arms, which usually get through the minors quicker than prep players, may cause teams in the first round to draft "under slot," McDaniel writes. Once Jones and Holliday go, teams may take less-heralded players with perceived higher floors — instead of the player with the most potential or production— because they'll be able to pay that player less. Then they can save money for later rounds, where they can splurge to attract a prep player who may be convinced to go pro instead of playing college ball.

Similar to the Detroit Lions, it seems like the Tigers are right in the range to draft a Detroit-area native.

The Lions selected Aidan Hutchinson, of Dearborn Divine Child in 2022, and the Tigers could follow suit by selecting Brock Porter, an Orchard Lake St. Mary's right-hander thought to be one of the best preps in the country. Callis and McDaniel have the Tigers passing on Porter, a Clemson commit who is projected at 14 and 16, respectively.

McDaniel mock draft: Tigers select Jace Jung

From what McDaniel has heard, the Tigers may not love their options at No. 13. It's right outside of the consensus top-10 prospects like Cam Collier (son of former MLB utilityman Lou Collier) or Jacob Berry. But another youngster with All-Star lineage — Justin Crawford, the son of Carl — sits right outside the top 10

McDaniel thinks Texas Tech infielder Jace Jung is the Tigers' man, writing his polish and profile make sense "given where Detroit is in its rebuild."

"I get the impression that the Tigers aren't thrilled with what is likely to be available at the pick: There isn't a college pitcher worth full slot here — I don't think they want to take another high school pitcher (Jackson Jobe) after taking one with their first pick last year — and the position players expected to be on the board here don't have a ton of ceiling," he wrote.

McDaniel says Porter is an option and Tigers general manager Al Avila was at a recent workout for Alabama lefty Connor Prielipp.

Jung, the Big 12 player of the year, has drawn more walks than strikeouts in his two college seasons and is ranked the No. 8 prospect, according to MLB.com, in the class. His brother, Justin, was a 2019 first-rounder taken by the Texas Rangers.

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MLB.com's scouting report says the left-hand swinging likely second baseman has "no discernible weakness" at the plate, with a ceiling as a 30 home run hitter with plus batting average.

"Upright setup at the plate is unorthodox but doesn't prevent him from destroying all types of pitches and pitchers," reads his MLB.com bio. "His hitting ability, strength and bat speed produce home runs from foul pole to foul pole and he makes two-strike adjustments without sacrificing much power."

He is rated as having above-average hit and power tools but his other traits don't stand out.

"His aggressive nature helps him play better than his below-average speed on the bases but his defensive home remains in question," per MLB.com. "He has fringy arm strength, was erratic at third base and may not be more than adequate at second base.

Callis likes Jung so much, he had him going No. 10 to the Colorado Rockies.

Callis mock draft: Tigers select Gavin Cross

Cross, a Virginia Tech outfielder, is ranked No. 9 by MLB behind Jung and ahead of Porter. While he is Callis' pick for the Tigers, the baseball writer is not convinced.

Callis, like McDaniel, leaves the door open to the Tigers going with Porter or Prielipp — who looked like a potential No. 1 overall pick during his 28 innings (three runs allowed 47 strikeouts) at Alabama before he needed Tommy John surgery last May.

As for Cross, he's a very good all-around athlete who may not be elite at any one thing. He could grow to be an above-average hitter with above-average power, according to MLB.com.

"... he hit .369 in 16 games during his shortened 2020 freshman season," his scouting report reads. "He jumped onto the must-watch radar with a 1.035 OPS in 2021, landing on the All-ACC First Team in the process, and he was arguably the best hitter in competition with USA Baseball over the summer before continuing to rake for the Hokies this spring."

There are some concerns about his control of the strike zone, but he appears to have made strides in walk and strikeout rate this season. The Tigers could use a polished outfielder for the minor-league system.

Top center field prospect Riley Greene is set to graduate to the majors once he's healthy, and the next highest-ranked natural outfielders (Roberto Campos, Parker Meadows and Jose De La Cruz) are projected to need two more seasons before making MLB debuts.

"There are several Hokies who have the chance to go in the top five rounds and Cross is almost certain to become the first Virginia Tech hitter to go in the first round since the Dodgers took Franklin Stubbs in 1982."

Follow the Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Tyler Davis can be contacted at tjdavis@freepress.com or on Twitter @TDavisFreep.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers take Jace Jung, Gavin Cross: 2022 mock drafts