SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Kevin McGonigle ranks as the No. 2 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list and many scouts consider him the best pure hitter in the Minors. The Tigers infielder only enhanced his reputation in the Arizona Fall League.
McGonigle slashed .362/.500/.710 in 19 games, leading the developmental circuit in extra-base hits (12) and total bases (49) while ranking second in runs (22) and homers (five) plus third in slugging and OPS (1.210). He earned the Joe Black MVP Award, joining a list of winners that includes Nolan Arenado (2011), Kris Bryant (2013) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (2017).
The 37th overall pick in the 2023 Draft out of a suburban Philadelphia high school, McGonigle has a pretty left-handed stroke and plenty of bat speed. He recognizes pitches well, controls the strike zone and produces hard contact to all fields. He showed an improved ability to pull and lift pitches this season, when he batted .305/.408/.583 with a Minors-best 182 wRC+ and 19 homers in 88 games while reaching Double-A at age 20.
McGonigle says the key is to keep hitting as simple as possible. He still uses the same swing his father taught him when he was a youngster and he doesn’t try to overthink things at the plate.
“I like saying it’s hitting dumb almost,” McGonigle said. “Just going up thinking fastball and then just reacting to the offspeed and just trying to put a good swing on the pitcher’s mistake. If you lose one in the heart of the plate, just make a good swing and connect with it. And if you don’t, then keep battling.”
McGonigle is more than just a bat, however. Take the Fall Stars Game last Saturday for example.
With a runner on first base and one out in the third inning, second baseman Seaver King (WSH No. 7) drilled a grounder off the glove of right-hander Anderson Brito (HOU No. 7). McGonigle raced in from shortstop, scooped up the ball barehanded and threw quickly to nail the speedy King at first base. A possible big inning was averted and Brito escaped without allowing a run.
In the bottom half, McGonigle led off with a walk. When ball four from Brewers left-hander Jesús Broca eluded Cubs catcher Owen Ayers, McGonigle took off and raced to second base. He manufactured a run with his hustle, going to third base on a flyball and scoring on a groundout in an eventual 5-4 victory for his American League club.
“Growing up, I was always preached about helping the team and I think that’s why I’ve gotten to this point in my career,” McGonigle said. “It’s just the things like that, little things, hustling down the line, trying to make every play for the pitcher on the mound. Just doing everything you can to help the team win is my mindset and I look forward to keep doing that. I think that’s going to lead me in the right direction.”
McGonigle’s talents should lead him to Detroit at some point in the 2026 season. It’s unclear which infielders will start for the Tigers next year and where they’ll be deployed, so he expanded his defensive versatility while playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions.
McGonigle split time between shortstop and second base in his first two years as a pro before playing almost exclusively at short this season. In the Fall League, he focused on third base, which he can’t remember playing outside of Detroit’s Spring Breakout game in March. He says he’s determined to prove he can play shortstop in the big leagues, though he’ll man whatever position it takes to get there.
Second base may be the best fit for McGonigle, who’s quick but has an arm that grades more as average than plus. His hitting ability and intense desire to win are reminiscent of Chase Utley, a member of the Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame and a candidate for Cooperstown. McGonigle grew up idolizing Utley as a Phillies fan and tries to emulate the way he played the game.
“Every time he went out there, it looked like he was just trying to help his team win and that’s my biggest mindset,” McGonigle said. “Just little things like the four-pitch walk and the All-Star Game, being able to get on second base, that’s like the little things he did right.
“Just the way he ran on and off the field, always had his chin up and played the game hard in the right way. That’s just the way I want to model my game and I look forward to keep playing that way for the rest of my career.”
