Kevin McGonigle grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs rooting for the Phillies with one player standing out. Chase Utley was McGonigle’s hero.
Utley gave McGonigle many reasons to cheer. The second baseman was a six-time All-Star, won four Silver Sluggers, and helped lead the Phillies to the 2008 World Series title.
Utley is on a trajectory to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He received 59.1 percent of the votes last year, his third on the ballot. He has seven more years to reach the requisite 75 percent.
It is too early to speculate on McGonigle’s chances of making it to Cooperstown. After all, he just made his major-league debut on opening day.
Yet McGonigle is doing a good Utley imitation as a left-hander hitting infielder with power and speed. The Detroit Tigers believe they have a potential star in the 22-year-old infielder, showing so much faith that they signed him to a nine-year, $150.78-million contract on April 15.
McGonigle is having an outstanding first season
McGonigle was an American League reserve in last month’s All-Star Game and is hitting .282/.384/.424 with 13 home runs and 12 stolen bases in 123 games. His 5.7 bWAR is second in the AL to the 5.8 of Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt, as McGonigle has started 67 games at shortstop and 54 at third base.
McGonigle is doing what he can, along with seven other rookies, to keep the Tigers’ hopes of reaching the postseason for a third consecutive year alive. The Tigers are in fourth place in the AL Central, five games behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox, and 1.5 games back in the race for the league’s third and final wild card.
Unsurprisingly, McGonigle has made a strong first impression in the big leagues. It started on opening day when he went 4-for-5 with two doubles in a win over the Padres in San Diego.
“I'm thrilled for him and for our organization, and he's been instrumental in a lot of things that have gone right this year for us,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “His ability to handle challenges is very noteworthy.”
The hopes have been high since the Tigers selected McGonigle in the first round of the 2023 draft following his senior year of high school in Drexel Hill, Pa. Coming into spring training, Baseball America and MLB.com had McGonigle ranked as the second-best prospect in the game after Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin.
“We thought that we had a very special talent, someone who was mature for his age,” Hinch said. “We thought that we had somebody that we could push faster than we pushed any young player in my time here. And all he's done has been better than virtually anybody else in the league at his age and his experience level. The more I'm around him, the more I appreciate his preparedness. I appreciate his competitiveness. And I appreciate his toughness because there's been a lot thrown at him on the field with a bunch of firsts, but also emotionally, with the attention, the All-Star nod, the family, friends, fans, and he hasn't wavered in that the most important part of the day is the competition.”
McGonigle looking like cornerstone player
In that regard, McGonigle is also reminiscent of Utley, who was noted as much for his composure and steadiness as his outstanding play.
“I'd say I definitely was ready to play in the major leagues at the start of the season,” McGonigle told FanSided. “Mentally, I knew this was what I wanted to do ever since I could remember. I always wanted to play baseball, and then in spring training, I knew I was ready. I'm just happy the Tigers took a shot and let me join the squad from opening day. It’s been everything I've dreamed of.
“The biggest thing that adds to the experience is the guys in the clubhouse, and the way they've helped me get better, and everyone pushes each other to get better each day. I think that's the best part about it.”
The Tigers have another rookie, center fielder Max Clark, who is another potential cornerstone player. Clark was ranked as the No. 6 overall prospect by Baseball America in February. The 21-year-old made his big-league debut on July 31 and is hitting .271/.320/.414 with one homer in 18 games.
McGonigle has bought into what the Tigers are doing. He is under contract through 2034.
“This is the team that drafted me. This is the team that saw something in me,” McGonigle said. “They do a great job of developing players. They put all their trust in me, and I’m going to put my trust in them. I would rather be here than anywhere else. So, I'm just super happy. I’ve got eight years here after this year, and hopefully more after that. I’m looking forward to winning a lot of baseball games with this organization and hopefully winning a World Series.”
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