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By Jason Ounpraseuth
Contributing Sports Writer
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Kevin McGonigle looked like the real deal, even impressing a future Hall of Famer.
McGonigle became the second Detroit Tigers player and 21st major league player since 1900 to record four hits in their Major League Baseball debut, per Jason Beck of MLB.com. It got the hype train going for the club's top prospect and the No. 2 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline.
Justin Verlander has played with and against some of the best players in the game, and the 43-year-old, unprompted, offered a comparison for McGonigle.
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"He reminds me a bit of (Alex) Bregman," Verlander told Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. "Really into the game, like watches and sees a lot -- sees everything.”
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It would be a dream for Tigers fans if McGonigle could come close to what Bregman has done in his major league career. The Chicago Cubs third baseman is a three-time All-Star, a Gold Glove talent, a Silver Slugger and a two-time World Series champion.
Verlander played with Bregman on the Houston Astros from 2017-24, so he knows firsthand the kind of player and leader Bregman is.
"I don't like comparing people," Verlander said, per Petzold. "It just seems like he rises to the occasion. He expects to be in the moment. As a rookie, that's hard. It's difficult to have that level of confidence, but it really can serve you well."
Verlander clarified to the Free Press that McGonigle's confidence isn't cocky but more of a business mindset.
That kind of attitude and talent would be exactly what the Tigers need with Verlander, the oldest player in MLB, helping out the next generation. It also would be ironic if McGonigle turned into the Bregman since Detroit spent multiple offseasons trying to court him.
It's still early, but the Tigers could have a special player if McGonigle keeps up his trajectory.
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