Smaller-college outfielders like Strong can easily get overlooked in the Draft, but the numbers he posted during his junior season at Canisius got attention, from an 1.104 OPS and 11 home runs to more walks (41) than strikeouts (38) and 42 stolen bases in 48 games. That combination of athleticism and plate discipline drew the Tigers to take a shot with a seventh-round pick in 2024, signing him for a $222,500 bonus to see whether his skills could translate to pro ball. After a cameo appearance at Single-A Lakeland in 2024, he posted a respectable first full season, including a .370 on-base percentage, 20 stolen bases and 20 doubles between Lakeland and High-A West Michigan, all while playing solid defense.
Strong shows good bat speed from his left-handed swing and produces high line-drive and lift rates for a hitter with below-average power. He’s a patient, disciplined hitter with a low swing rate, but there was a concerning uptick in strikeouts last year due to a low contact rate and a high number of called strikes. He has very good speed that he uses on the bases as well as in the outfield, where his defense is the strength of his game.
Strong profiles as a fourth outfielder in the Majors given his defensive versatility. He’ll have a chance to roam the vast outfield gaps of West Michigan this spring, but his offensive improvement -- particularly in contact -- will determine how quickly he advances up the system.
