The Detroit Tigers released a long list of minor-league injuries on Wednesday, but the disclosure of this prospect’s injury stood out.
Earlier this week, Detroit Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle made his 2025 debut with High-A West Michigan. It was a short one.
Right after he made an impressive debut, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported that McGonigle would miss time with an ankle injury. When he reported the injury, the extent of it wasn’t clear. So, it wasn’t known how significant a setback it would be to the 20-year-old’s progress this season.
On Wednesday the Tigers released a list of minor-league players with injuries. Twenty-two players were on the list, including McGonigle.
The Tigers reported that McGonigle suffered a right ankle sprain. He suffered the injury while running the bases during a game on Friday, which was his season debut. The Tigers also said that he’s completing rehab daily.
His MiLB.com page reports that he was placed on West Michigan’s 7-day injured list on Tuesday.
The Tigers did not disclose how long it would take for McGonigle to return. In his case, properly healing the injury is more important than getting him back quickly.
Detroit has plenty invested in McGonigle’s future. He’s already the Tigers’ No. 3 overall prospect and is the No. 27 prospect in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline.
He started his second full pro season with a bang in that opener for the Whitecaps. He went 2-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI. He worked with two other highly ranked Tigers prospects, Max Clark and Josue Briceno, to help West Michigan win, 7-0.
The Tigers selected McGonigle 37th overall in the 2023 MLB draft out of Bonner & Prendergast Catholic High School in Alden, Penn. He was named the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year his senior year and played for the United States national team in the 2022 U-18 Baseball World Cup.
Detroit paid him $2.85 million in bonus money to get him to forego college. After a smattering of games in 2023, he played his first full season with the Tigers’ organization in Class-A Lakeland and West Michigan. Combined he slashed .309/.401/.452 with five home runs and 44 RBI. He also had 16 doubles, four triples, 22 stolen bases and 49 runs.
Most strikingly, he had a tremendous eye for the strike zone as a young hitter. He walked 46 times against 22 strikeouts.
While at Lakeland he slashed .326/.407/.470 with four home runs and 37 RBI. In spite of a promotion to West Michigan, he was named the Florida State League’s most valuable player and the Tigers’ minor league player of the year.
