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The Detroit Tigers selected Nebraska’s second baseman Max Andersen with their second-round pick, No. 45 overall, in the 2023 MLB draft.
Anderson, 21, was the third pick of the Tigers in Sunday night’s draft in Seattle. The Tigers also added high school outfielder Max Clark with the No. 3 overall pick and high school shortstop Kevin McGonigle with the No. 37 overall pick.
Anderson was named the 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
“All we kept hearing was that he can hit,” Tigers scouting director Mark Conner said Sunday. “If you go and look at the stats and the performances this year, it backs that up. He has a very high, intense swing that looks to do damage. The barrel stays extremely long through the zone. He’s able to drive the ball to all fields .”
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In 2023, Anderson hit .414 with 20 doubles, two triples, 21 home runs, 20 walks and 29 strikeouts in 57 games for a career high 1.232 OPS. He played third base, second base and first base in his three-year college tenure.
Anderson, a right-handed hitter, could be a full-time first baseman in the future because of his below-average defense.
The data stands out to evaluators.
He possesses slightly above-average power to all fields with high contact rates in the zone. He swings a lot and sometimes chases outside the strike zone, but when he swings inside the zone, he typically makes contact and causes damage.
Pick No. 45 used on Anderson comes with an MLB-determined bonus slot value of $1,906,200.
After three picks Sunday, the Tigers have 18 picks remaining in the 2023 draft, which continues with rounds 3-10 beginning at 14.00 Monday and ends with rounds 11-20, which begin at 14.00 Tuesday.
The next pick for the Tigers is No. 76 overall in the third round.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.
