Six prospects from Detroit Tigers on ESPN's top-100 list, led by Jackson Jobe

Four players from the Detroit Tigers are capable of qualifying for MLB's Prospect Promotion Incentive in the 2024 season: center fielder Max Clark, right-hander Jackson Jobe, third baseman Jace Jung, and second baseman Colt Keith.

The PPI is a new addition to the latest collective bargaining agreement. The incentive attempts to motivate teams to put their top prospects on the Opening Day roster rather than manipulating MLB service time. If a qualified player wins Rookie of the Year, the team will receive a draft pick.

To qualify, a player must appear on preseason top-100 prospect rankings by at least two of Baseball America (Jan. 17), MLB Pipeline (Jan. 26) and ESPN (Jan. 31), be rookie-eligible with 60 days or fewer of service time, and accrue one year of service time as a rookie.

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Four players — Clark, Jobe, Jung and Keith — appeared on all three preseason prospect lists. Keith, who recently signed a long-term contract extension, is expected to make the Opening Day roster and contend for American League Rookie of the Year.

The Tigers have six prospects on ESPN's preseason top 100 rankings, released Wednesday, but two of them — outfielder Parker Meadows and shortstop Kevin McGonigle — didn't appear on Baseball America's rankings or MLB Pipeline's rankings, meaning Meadows doesn't qualify for the prospect promotion incentive even though he meets the other requirements.

BASEBALL AMERICA: Tigers have four prospects on Baseball America's top-100 list, led by Max Clark

MLB PIPELINE: Tigers one of two teams with 3 prospects in top 25 on MLB Pipeline's top-100 list

The six prospects on ESPN's list, complied by draft expert Kiley McDaniel: Jobe (No. 10), Clark (No. 15), Keith (No. 40), Meadows (No. 45), Jung (No. 63) and McGonigle (No. 95). All five of the hitting prospects bat from the left side of the plate.

Jobe, 21, returned from a back injury and posted a 2.81 ERA with six walks and 84 strikeouts across 64 innings in 16 starts at four levels of the minor leagues, finishing at Double-A Erie. He added a 2.87 ERA with five walks and 19 strikeouts across 15⅔ innings in four starts in the Arizona Fall League.

That's a combined 2.82 ERA with a 3.4% walk rate and 31.7% strikeout rate across 79⅔ innings in 20 starts last season.

On Jobe, ESPN's McDaniel reports: "Jobe should spend 2024 in the upper minors and seems on track to reach the majors late in 2024 or at the start of the 2025 season. His compact frame, bananas raw stuff and starter command remind me of Spencer Strider — with a tick less fastball quality, but better and more varied offspeed stuff. Jobe is the rare pitching prospect who has a real chance to become an ace."

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Clark, 19, made his professional debut last season after being selected No. 3 overall in the draft. The center fielder hit .224 with two home runs, 21 walks and 25 strikeouts over 23 games at the Florida Complex League and Low-A Lakeland levels.

In Low-A, Clark hit .154 with zero homers, 12 walks and 15 strikeouts over 11 games.

On Clark, ESPN's McDaniel reports: "Clark gives you more margin for error than (Walker) Jenkins because he's a no-doubt above-average center fielder with more baserunning value. Scouts also don't have to worry as much if his in-game power will show up because he is a hit-first player who projects for 15-20 homers down the road. Clark could move very quickly through the minors and his blurb might read like Jackson Holliday's does right now if things click."

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Keith, 22, signed a six-year contract extension this offseason, following another dominant performance in the minor leagues. He hit .306 with 27 home runs, 60 doubles and 121 strikeouts over 126 games in Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.

He played 67 games for the Mud Hens to compete his third professional season, hitting .287 with 13 homers and an .890 OPS.

On Keith, ESPN's McDaniel reports: "He has plus power and feel to get to it in games, hitting 27 homers last season in the upper minors, but he offers little in terms of speed or defensive value with just solid average on-base skills. ... I think his long-term fit will be playing all four corners with first base his most natural spot at maturity, but the 25-30 homers from the left side will play anywhere."

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Meadows, 24, made his MLB debut with the Tigers in late August and received 42 days of service time. He hit .232 with three home runs, 17 walks and 37 strikeouts over 37 games. More notably, the former second-round draft pick showcased elite defense in center field and elite speed on the bases.

Meadows will be the Tigers' everyday center fielder in 2024.

On Meadows, ESPN's McDaniel reports: "A solid outcome this year would be something like a .240/.340/.400 line with 15-20 homers and solid-average center-field defense, which should equal a 2-something WAR and possibly garner some Rookie of the Year votes.

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Jung, 23, transitioned from second base to third base at the end of last season, which will be his biggest test in 2024. On offense, the Tigers are confident in his ability to keep hitting. He hit .265 with 28 home runs, 79 walks and 139 strikeouts over 128 games in High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie.

He added a .200 batting average with one homer, 14 walks and 19 strikeouts over 15 games in the Arizona Fall League, where he got his first taste of third base.

On Jung, ESPN's McDaniel reports: "Jung has 20-to-25-homer upside and a hit tool that's a bit above average, down a tick from my pre-draft eval, as he's learned to lift the ball more effectively in pro ball. He and Colt Keith offer similar skills, with a near-big league ready package of very little speed and defense but a real hit/power combo from the left side."

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McGonigle, 19, made his professional debut last season after being selected No. 37 overall in the draft. The shortstop hit .315 with one home run, 18 walks and 10 strikeouts over 21 games at the Florida Complex League and Low-A Lakeland levels.

In Low-A, McGonigle hit .350 with one homer, seven walks and five strikeouts over 12 games.

On McGonigle, ESPN's McDaniel reports: "I think long term McGonigle will be a second baseman with a plus hit tool, plus pitch selection and OBP, and 15-20 homers with some, but not a lot, of baserunning and defensive value. It isn't a huge upside, but I think his chances of reaching it are much better than the rest of the industry."

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Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 6 Detroit Tigers prospects on ESPN's top-100 list, led by Jackson Jobe