Tuesday open thread: Which Tigers prospects will reach the majors first?

Now that the All-Star Game has officially arrived, Tigers fans can start thinking about the second half of the season. While that thought on the surface is pretty bleak, there is still a great deal of attention fodder when it comes to the July-September call ups from the farm system.

With the pending 40-man roster crunch on the near horizon this winter, the management needs to get an idea of who they want to protect and who they are willing to risk passing through the Rule 5 draft. But even before that, the team still needs to somehow squeeze 77 more games out of this franchise, and given the combination of injuries and failure to meet expectations, they are going to need a lot of warm bodies to get to the finish line.

Which Tigers prospects do you expect to see in Detroit and when?

My answer: the general consensus is that Jake Rogers is first in line to see his major league debut before any other Tigers prospects. Such an event would make him the first member of the Justin Verlander trade to reach the majors, a major coup for general manager Al Avila in establishing his success in the current rebuild.

I personally agree with this assessment that Rogers reaches first — and it reflects in my personal midseason prospect rankings (soon to be released!). But who ascends to Detroit after him is a bit more blurry, with the pitching merry-go-round with the big club spinning wildly and the offense on a historic path towards futility.

So, who do I expect to see moving up in the coming months?

1. Jake Rogers, C — Rogers is the most polished and MLB-ready player in the organization, and despite some of his struggles at the plate has shown the ability to make adjustments.
2. Beau Burrows, RHP — His suspension in the recent minor league bean-ball affair aside, it is time for the big league club to see what he has against the best players in the world.
3. Kyle Funkhouser, RHP — Much like Burrows, it is time for Funkhouser to poop or get off the pot and test his skills against the best in the game.
4. Bryan Garcia, RHP — I am not sure if he is truly MLB-ready, but it could be worth giving Garcia a shot in the pen after Shane Greene and/or Joe Jiménez are traded.
5. Daz Cameron, OF — The Tigers may not want to start his service clock early, but their hands might be forced by injuries or abysmal performances by the other players they already have in Detroit.

Your turn!

In the comments list the first five prospects you expect to see the majors in order, and explain why.