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While the season has not gone as planned, the Detroit Tigers are still in the thick of things in the American League Central. Going into Thursday's games, they sit just five games behind the Chicago White Sox, who lead the division.
So, the next few weeks are going to be crucial for this club. Can they close the gap a bit more, or will they lose ground, forcing them to be sellers at the trade deadline?
However, that is not the only thing on the front office's mind. They are also preparing for the MLB Draft, in which they will be selecting 22nd overall.
MORE: Why Tigers DFA'd former Yankees outfielder amid Dillon Dingler news
Tigers urged to address pitching shortage with their first pick
Whether the Tigers close the gap in the division or not, they are set to lose some pretty big arms after the season. This includes Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, so it wouldn't hurt to prioritize pitching during the draft.
With the No. 22 pick, there are sure to be tons of arms available, both college pitchers and high school pitchers. But Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer believes University of Florida pitcher Liam Peterson could be an excellent fit.
"The Tigers stand to lose both Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize to free agency this winter. And as such, it's less than ideal that their farm system has just two arms among its 10 best prospects—and none among its top six. This is not to say the Tigers shouldn't pass up a chance at a prime bat at No. 22, but that's where a college arm will likely be the way to go. Provided they could figure out his control, Florida's Liam Peterson would bring ace-caliber stuff to the system."
Peterson's stock has fallen a bit due to consistency issues, especially around the zone. However, if Detroit's system can figure out what the problem is, he could be an absolute steal at pick No. 22.
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