Tigers select college pitcher Trey Yesavage in MLB Pipeline mock draft

The Detroit Tigers appear to be top-heavy in position prospects in breaking down the talent in its minor-league system.

Position players account for five of the first six spots in The Detroit News top 50 Tigers prospects for 2024, and Baseball America has just righthanders Jackson Jobe (No. 2) and Ty Madden (No. 5) among its top nine, with MLB Pipeline slotting Jobe (No. 3) and Madden (No. 5) as the only pitchers in its top seven.

So, perhaps it's not surprising to see MLB Pipeline hand the Tigers a college arm in its most recent MLB mock draft, released Friday, projecting Detroit to select East Carolina righthander Trey Yesavage.

"Yesavage has been extremely consistent, with a 1.73 ERA to go along with 15.0 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 rates," MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo writes, "a reason why he vaulted from No. 36 on our Top 100 in December up to No. 11 overall."

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Yesavage owns a 0.81 WHIP in 11 starts covering 67.2 innings this season, racking up 113 strikeouts to just 21 walks. He is 9-1 for the Pirates.

Yesavage appears to be one of the top college arms in the draft. He is the third college pitcher selected in MLB Pipeline's mock draft, as well as Baseball America's most recent mock draft on April 22, where it has Yesavage going at No. 10 to the Nationals, and the Tigers taking two-way prep standout Bryce Rainer.

The 21-year-old Jobe is pitching in Double-A Erie, though he just landed on the seven-day injured list with a hamstring strain. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Jobe has a 2.16 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 16.2 innings this season, notching 24 strikeouts, but 10 walks.

Madden, 24, a competitive-balance selection in the 2021 MLB Draft at No. 32 overall, opened the season at Erie, but was recently promoted to Triple-A Toledo. He was tagged for seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks in three innings in his Mud Hens debut at Columbus.

The 2024 MLB Draft is July 14-16.