With the 49th pick in the 2024 MLB draft, the Tigers have selected right handed pitcher Owen Hall.
An 18-year-old pitcher from Edmond North High School in Oklahoma, there wasn’t much pre-draft chatter about Hall in this range. That doesn’t make him a bad pick; instead, it’s a reflection of how the Tigers see his skills fitting into their development program. Hall is committed to play at Vanderbilt, which is always a signal of both a talented young pitcher and a signability concern, but the team would not have selected him in the second round without a number in mind and a handshake agreement in place.
The primary draw when it comes to Hall is his striking fastball metrics. He doesn’t sit in a high velocity band yet, but his fastball has been recorded as high as 98 miles per hour and Baseball America reports that it can reach spin rates as high as 2,600 RPM. That’s the kind of elite territory reserved for only the very best spin maestros in the game, including Dylan Cease, Garrett Crochet, and top Tigers prospect Jackson Jobe, who is also an Oklahoma prep product. Combined with good stride length and extension to the plate, this is the kind of fastball that plays well at the top of the zone and is a nightmare for same-handed hitters in on the hands. And there’s plenty of projection left in his 6’3” frame.
If Hall is able to stick as a starter, it’s because he has at least moderate feel for your standard four pitch mix, with a slider that stands out as best among his secondary offerings. His changeup has seen little use against amateur competition, and his curve has a 12-6 shape that can get loopy at times. The big fastball gives him a strong platform of stuff to build on, however, and the Tigers are well equipped to help smooth out his delivery and make it more repeatable.
If I’ve said it about one high-spin pitcher in connection with this team over the last year, I’ve said it about them all — I’d love to see him work on adding a cutter to the mix as a weapon to compliment the fastball at the top of the zone. The Scott Harris-led Tigers have shown an affinity for pitchers with distinctively hard breaking balls and Gabe Ribas has a knack for teaching pitchers with a good slider to mold it into an even better cutter. This is entirely speculative, but it would no surprise to see reports that his slider has shortened up by this time next year.
A big part of what pushed Hall down public draft boards is his pitching motion. It’s a somewhat violent finish with noticeable head whack, and he doesn’t repeat it well yet. These are minor red flags for his future as a starting pitcher, both because they suppress his command projection and can raise concerns about long term health. Robin Lund and Dr. Georgia Giblin, who have a more broad view of biomechanics for players throughout the organization, have worked in concert with Gabe Ribas to make small but significant tweaks to a whole host of pitchers’ mechanical process to create more sustainable velocity over the last eighteen months. They may have something similar in mind for Hall once he settles into the routine of pro ball.
It’s tough to argue with the Tigers’ decision to bet on themselves here. They’ve done good work helping high spin pitchers establish themselves at the top of the zone, dial in a better breaking ball, and unlock a new level in their game as a result. Keider Montero, Troy Melton, and Jaden Hamm spring to mind as recent examples, albeit ones that came to Detroit with a much smaller investment in draft capital. This is a higher stakes pick, but one with a straightforward path to paying dividends that plays to the Tigers development strengths.
In terms of how this pick affects the Tigers bonus pool, it’s a little tricky. Hall probably isn’t going to get a big bump over his slot value, but there’s no discount likely there either. Maybe they take a few college guys they can get underslot in the next few rounds. It’s also possible they stick to last year’s model and just take the guys they want, worry little about the final handful of picks, and trust they can make it work when they sit down with players and their representatives to agree on a final number.
Things may get a little dicey in the middle rounds, though, as Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic is reporting that first round pick Bryce Rainer will most likely be getting an overslot deal.