Detroit prioritized pitching depth and college talent on Day 2, landing high-velocity arms like KJ Ward and developmental gems to bolster the organization's farm system through round 20.
The Detroit Tigers completed the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday, finishing rounds five through 20 and closing the two-day process with 20 total selections. Detroit’s final class included 13 pitchers, 12 of them right-handers, and seven position players. The split was also college-heavy, with 14 college players and six high school players selected.
The first night brought the bigger names, with Coastal Carolina right-hander Cameron Flukey going 22nd overall, Kansas shortstop Tyson LeBlanc going 61st, Florida Gulf Coast right-hander Evan Dempsey going 69th and Holy Cross High School shortstop Dominic Pellegrin going 125th.
Day 2 was more about depth, traits and player development targets, especially on the pitching side. MLB.com described Detroit’s rounds 5-10 group as a mix of college tools and developmental fits, with Louisiana Tech right-hander Declan Dahl standing out as the player to watch in that range.
Rounds 5-10: College traits and one prep upside swing
Detroit opened Day 2 with Declan Dahl, a right-hander from Louisiana Tech, in the fifth round at pick No. 158. Dahl fits the Tigers’ recent pitching-development profile because of his lower arm slot, quick release and changeup feel. He reportedly sits around 91-93 mph and has touched 95, with his release traits giving hitters a different look. Bless You Boys noted that Dahl had a 7-4 record, 2.75 ERA, 102 strikeouts and 23 walks over 81.1 innings at Louisiana Tech this spring.
In the sixth round, the Tigers selected Maddox Molony, a shortstop from Oregon. Molony entered the year with more helium than where he eventually landed, but there is still something to work with. He has bat speed, low in-zone swing-and-miss concerns and enough arm strength to stay on the left side for now. If the power comes back closer to his sophomore-year production, this could be a good value play.
The seventh round brought Brady Ballinger, a first baseman from Kansas. Ballinger’s 2025 season was the standout data point, as he hit .353/.495/.670 with 16 home runs before taking a step back in 2026. The left-handed bat is the carrying tool, and Detroit is likely betting that his approach and past power production can be rebuilt in pro ball.
In the eighth round, Detroit took Robert Omidi, a high school third baseman from St. Martin Secondary School in Ontario. MLB.com had Omidi as the No. 207 prospect in the draft class and noted his Kentucky commitment, which makes him one of the more interesting signability cases in the class. The profile is centered around left-handed power potential on the left side of the infield.
The ninth round was one of the more Tigers-like picks of the day. Kenneth “KJ” Ward, a 6-foot-5 right-hander from Park University-Gilbert, is a converted position player with major arm strength. MLB.com noted that Ward has touched 100 mph, and the profile reads like a bullpen development project with late-inning raw material if the command and secondary stuff come along.
Detroit closed the top 10 rounds with Jack Turner, a right-hander from New Mexico State. Turner has a low three-quarters look, a fastball that has been in the mid-90s and a mix that includes a sweeper, slider and changeup. He has also generated ground balls, which gives the Tigers another arm with shape and movement to refine.
Rounds 11-15: High school bats, speed and more arm strength
The 11th round pick was one of the most notable selections of the day. Will Adams, a left-handed hitting first baseman from Hoover High School in Alabama, was ranked No. 102 by MLB Pipeline and is committed to LSU. MLB.com noted that Adams was Alabama’s Gatorade Player of the Year and that his hit tool was the biggest reason Detroit took the shot.
In the 12th round, the Tigers added Tyler West, an outfielder from Salt Lake Community College. West brings a speed-first profile and hit .397/.482/.562 with 24 stolen bases last season. He also has a Texas A&M commitment, so the signing bonus will be worth watching, but the center-field/speed profile gives Detroit a different type of player than most of the class.
The 13th round brought Jett Johnston, a right-hander from Auburn. Johnston worked out of the bullpen in the SEC and showed strike-throwing indicators, including 31 strikeouts and six walks across 24 innings in 2026. His pitch mix reportedly includes a fastball in the 93-95 mph range, a sweeper, cutter and changeup.
Detroit then selected its lone left-handed pitcher of the draft in the 14th round, taking Edwin Alicea from South Florida. Alicea has a starter’s frame at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, and his fastball reportedly sits in the mid-90s with sink and run. He also brings a slider and changeup, giving the Tigers a left-handed arm with pitchability and some possible role flexibility.
In the 15th round, the Tigers selected Dustin Dunwoody, a high school right-hander from Royal High School in California. Dunwoody is committed to USC and has reportedly touched 95-96 mph while showing a high-spin slider. This is another signability pick, but the raw ingredients are clear: athletic frame, arm speed and a breaking ball foundation.
Rounds 16-20: Detroit finishes with five straight arms
The Tigers ended the draft with pitching, taking arms from rounds 16 through 20. Michael Lane, a right-hander from Delaware State, came first in that run. Lane has a four-pitch mix with a fastball in the 92-95 mph range, a circle changeup, curveball and developing cutter. The starter traits are there, though the performance record has been uneven.
In the 17th round, Detroit selected Jack Byers, a high school right-hander from Artesia High School in New Mexico. Byers is committed to Arizona and brings a starter-type mix with a low-90s fastball, cutter, curveball and changeup. His athletic background also stands out, as he was a multi-sport state champion.
The 18th round brought Drake Meeks, a right-hander from Southern Miss. This is one of the more projection-heavy picks in the class. Meeks has not logged many innings because of injuries and limited usage, but the fastball has reportedly reached 98 mph. For Detroit, this appears to be a raw stuff bet.
In the 19th round, the Tigers selected Cade Rusch, a right-hander from Bellarmine. Rusch is the son of former major leaguer Glendon Rusch, but the profile is different. He is more of a power relief arm, with a fastball that has reportedly reached 99 mph and generally sits in the mid-90s.
Detroit finished the draft in the 20th round with Will Zielinski, a right-hander from Vauxhall High School in Alberta. Zielinski brings spin traits, with a fastball that can touch the low-to-mid 90s and breaking-ball spin that gives him developmental appeal. Like several of Detroit’s late prep selections, signing him may be the larger question.
The safest read is that Detroit came out of the draft looking for pitchers with unusual looks or raw velocity, while also taking calculated shots on high school talent after the first 10 rounds. Dahl, Adams, Omidi, West, Dunwoody, Byers and Zielinski are the names to watch first, either because of upside, signability or both. They were able to restock their pitching depth, which was needed.
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