Detroit Tigers 2026 MLB Draft Day 2 Recap: Rounds 5-20

By admin — In News — July 14, 2026

   ​The Detroit Tigers completed the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday, finishing rounds five through 20 and closing the two-day process with 20 total selections. Detroit’s final class included 13 pitchers, 12 of them right-handers, and seven position players. The split was also college-heavy, with 14 college players and six high school players selected.The first night brought the bigger names, with Coastal Carolina right-hander Cameron Flukey going 22nd overall, Kansas shortstop Tyson LeBlanc going 61st, Florida Gulf Coast right-hander Evan Dempsey going 69th and Holy Cross High School shortstop Dominic Pellegrin going 125th.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDay 2 was more about depth, traits and player development targets, especially on the pitching side. MLB.com described Detroit’s rounds 5-10 group as a mix of college tools and developmental fits, with Louisiana Tech right-hander Declan Dahl standing out as the player to watch in that range.Detroit opened Day 2 with Declan Dahl, a right-hander from Louisiana Tech, in the fifth round at pick No. 158. Dahl fits the Tigers’ recent pitching-development profile because of his lower arm slot, quick release and changeup feel. He reportedly sits around 91-93 mph and has touched 95, with his release traits giving hitters a different look. Bless You Boys noted that Dahl had a 7-4 record, 2.75 ERA, 102 strikeouts and 23 walks over 81.1 innings at Louisiana Tech this spring.In the sixth round, the Tigers selected Maddox Molony, a shortstop from Oregon. Molony entered the year with more helium than where he eventually landed, but there is still something to work with. He has bat speed, low in-zone swing-and-miss concerns and enough arm strength to stay on the left side for now. If the power comes back closer to his sophomore-year production, this could be a good value play.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe seventh round brought Brady Ballinger, a first baseman from Kansas. Ballinger’s 2025 season was the standout data point, as he hit .353/.495/.670 with 16 home runs before taking a step back in 2026. The left-handed bat is the carrying tool, and Detroit is likely betting that his approach and past power production can be rebuilt in pro ball.In the eighth round, Detroit took Robert Omidi, a high school third baseman from St. Martin Secondary School in Ontario. MLB.com had Omidi as the No. 207 prospect in the draft class and noted his Kentucky commitment, which makes him one of the more interesting signability cases in the class. The profile is centered around left-handed power potential on the left side of the infield.The ninth round was one of the more Tigers-like picks of the day. Kenneth “KJ” Ward, a 6-foot-5 right-hander from Park University-Gilbert, is a converted position player with major arm strength. MLB.com noted that Ward has touched 100 mph, and the profile reads like a bullpen development project with late-inning raw material if the command and secondary stuff come along.Detroit   

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