Prospect of the Day: Drew Smyly, LHP, Detroit Tigers

by John Sickels on Apr 16, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 12: Drew Smyly #33 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in his major league debut in the first inning during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park on April 12, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.The Tigers defeated the Rays 7-2. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Prospect of the Day: Drew Smyly, LHP, Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers rookie lefty Drew Smyly made his major league debut last Thursday, allowing one run in four-plus innings, giving up four hits and three walks before being removed for pitch-count purposes. Command is normally a positive asset for him, responsible for his rise from the college ranks to the major leagues in less than two years.

Smyly had a fine season for the University of Arkansas in 2010, going 9-1, 2.80 ERA with a 114/36 K/BB in 103 innings with 85 hits allowed. Drafted in the second round by the Tigers as a draft-eligible sophomore, he signed too late to pitch that year but made his pro debut in 2011 with High-A Lakeland in the Florida State League.

He was quite strong at that level, going 7-3, 2.58 ERA with a 77/21 K/BB in 80 innings. Promoted to Double-A in late July, he went 4-3 in seven starts but with a sharp 1.18 ERA and a 53/15 K/BB in 46 innings with 32 hits allowed. He was impressive this spring and earned a spot in the Tigers rotation, seeing action in one Triple-A game for Toledo for "get some innings" purposes before official promotion to the big league roster last week.

Smyly is a 6-3, 190 pound left-handed hitter and thrower, born June 13, 1989. His fastball isn't a burner at 87-92 MPH, averaging right around 90, but it works well due to the contrast with his secondary pitches: a slider, a cutter, a changeup with dropping action, and an occasional curve. He isn't afraid to use his fastball and his pitches have good deception. An efficient strike-thrower in the minors, he had location issues in his first start last week, but once he settles in, command should be one of his best attributes. His main weakness may be health: he had a stress fracture in his elbow in college, and he missed several weeks of pitching time early last season with a dead arm.

The Tigers usually handle their pitching prospects aggressively, so it isn't out of character for them to give Smyly a major league opportunity with just a handful of innings in the high minors. Although he doesn't have the fastball of a stereotypical ace, he profiles well as a mid-rotation starter, assuming good health.

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Comments

Thank you John

As a Tigers fan and a Smyly keeper league owner, I’ve been hoping for a writeup.

Obviously I have a bias, but I do feel like Smyly is a little underrated, probably because he doesn’t have a “wow” fastball (it’s still a low-90s left handed fastball with good command, though). While he’s one year older, he has had almost identical results to Drew Pomeranz in both the SEC and the minor leagues. Pomeranz is touted as one of the top pitching prospects in the game, while Smyly fails to crack most top-100 lists.

While he doesn’t have the jaw-dropping stuff, he does have command of four pitches and seems to know how to use them. His approach and composure have won praise from Tigers management. Not every top of the rotation starter has video-game stuff. Is it possible that Smyly’s ceiling is higher than mid-rotation? Personally I think he could be a good #2 starter.

My degree is worthless

by Godd Till on Apr 16, 2025 10:20 AM EDT reply actions

I wanted to login

Just to say I agree with this comment 100%. I hear scouts say that he has decent to above average pitches for each of his pitches, yet say his ceiling is as #5 starter. The guy just knows how to use the stuff that he has, many hitters seem off balance when facing him and he seldomly gives up solid hit balls. I’m a Tiger fan, so I might have a bit of a bias, but he has been my favorite under-the-radar prospect for a while now. If he works, like I expect he will, joining 4 solid starters as well as Turner eventually coming up, that Tigers rotation will be set well for years to come.

by jumpsuit on Apr 17, 2025 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Has Smyly added some velocity?

In tonight’s game, nearly half of his fastballs topped 93, with several of them topping 95. According to PitchFX, his average fastball speed was right around 92. Was the radar just running a bit hot, or does he have a little more giddy-up than we thought?

by Dberg on Apr 17, 2025 11:18 PM EDT reply actions