Derek Hill

The ultra-athletic Hill was a first round selection by the Tigers in the 2014 draft, but he has struggled to stay healthy or make consistent contact since entering the minors. Quad and knee injuries limited him to 53 games in 2015 and he ended 2016 on the disabled list following reconstructive elbow surgery. He hit a career-best .266 while repeating Low-A in 2016, though he bashed just one home run and struck out 105 times in 93 contests. While Hill swiped 35 bases over that span, he posted an anemic .312 OBP. The injuries, lack of power and impatience at the dish have caused Hill's prospect luster to fade, as his baseball skills have not been able to catch up with his raw tools. Hill remains a stellar defensive center fielder with plus-plus speed, but the 20-year-old has major red flags in the batter's box. Staying healthy in 2017 will be paramount if he is to make up for lost time.

Injuries have stalled the development of the Tigers’ first-round pick in the 2014 draft. Hill has played in just 90 games since being drafted, primarily due to lower-body injuries, and he dealt with a quad issue in April and then missed the entire second half with a knee injury. The number-one selling point with Hill as a fantasy prospect is his speed, which bordered on 80-grade entering the draft. However, as the lower-body injuries have mounted, not only has his speed been put at risk but he has also lost valuable reps to improve upon a fringey hit tool. It is too early to write off Hill entering his age-20 season, but the onus is now on him to prove he can stay relatively healthy over a full season before dynasty league owners start to buy back in.

The Tigers selected Hill with their first-round pick of the 2014 first-year player draft. Immediately after being selected, Hill was considered one of the Tigers' best prospects. The 19-year-old outfielder possesses plus-plus speed, which allows him to be a disruptive force on the basepaths. He’s also considered a premium defender and will likely patrol center field once he reaches the majors. At the plate, Hill has demonstrated elevated discipline for a player of his age, but his power potential appears to be limited to the double-digit range if he doesn’t more bulk than expected. Even with low-to-modest power production, Hill’s stellar speed and defense should one day earn him a regular spot in a major league lineup. He’ll need to work his way through the minors over the next few years, but Hill will eventually be a regular presence in Detroit’s outfield if he develops as projected.