Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Oliveto was on a path toward becoming an Ivy League catcher, having committed to Yale, when an eye-opening performance at the WWBA World Championship in the fall of 2024 changed his career trajectory. Oliveto not only climbed up Draft boards, he landed at the No. 34 selection with the Tigers, who selected him with their Competitive Balance pick and signed him for a $2,447,500 bonus. It was a reminder that good left-handed-hitting catchers are hard to find.

Oliveto tracks as a power lefty bat at the plate, both in swing and in raw strength. He has work to do as a pure hitter, but his WWBA performance awakened some scouts to that potential. Oliveto had a commanding presence behind the plate in high school and embraced the position, while his raw skills as a catcher will require some work. He earned high marks on makeup and work ethic, which could become particularly important as he tries to balance the demands of development as a hitter and a catcher.

The Tigers have recent history on the value of patience with catching prospects, having just seen Dillon Dingler become a Gold Glover in his first full Major League season after the better part of four years in pro ball -- and Dingler was a college pick. Oliveto should earn similar patience and will likely move slowly through the lower levels of the farm system. If he makes it, though, he could fill a big role behind the plate down the road in Detroit.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

High school catching can be a high-risk demographic in the Draft, and finding a good backstop from the New York high school ranks can be even tougher. It's not completely unheard of, and there are scouts who saw Oliveto, especially during his standout performance at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., last fall and think that he could be one of the few, following in the footsteps of current Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe and Marlins prospect Joe Mack. The Tigers certainly agreed, taking Oliveto with the 34th overall pick and signing him for $2,447,500.

Those who like Oliveto, especially those who saw him in Jupiter, see a future backstop who checks off the big left-handed-hitting catcher box. He's shown that he can find the barrel with a solid left-handed swing geared toward power. It's at least above-average raw power that some think he'll get to in the future, especially if he can become an average hitter. Others aren't as sold on the pure hit tool, though he turned around good competition at WWBA.

Whether Oliveto can stick behind the plate remains to be seen. He has average receiving skills and moves decently for his size, but he'll have work to do on the pro side in handling premium pitching. There's hope his arm can be average in time, but he'll have to clean that up as well. A former Yale commit, Oliveto earned praise for his makeup, and the Tigers believe he’ll take well to all the work asked of young catchers offensively and defensively.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

High school catching can be a high-risk demographic in the Draft, and finding a good backstop from the New York high school ranks can be even tougher. It's not completely unheard of, and there are scouts who saw Oliveto, especially during his standout performance at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., last fall and think that he could be one of the few, following in the footsteps of current Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe and Marlins prospect Joe Mack.

Those who like Oliveto, especially those who saw him in Jupiter, see a future backstop who checks off the big left-handed-hitting catcher box. He's shown that he can find the barrel with a solid left-handed swing geared toward power. It's at least above-average raw power that some think he'll get to in the future, especially if he can become an average hitter. Others aren't as sold on the pure hit tool, though he turned around good competition at WWBA.

Whether Oliveto can stick behind the plate remains to be seen. He has average receiving skills and moves decently for his size, but he'll have work to do on the pro side in handling premium pitching. There's hope his arm can be average in time, but he'll have to clean that up as well. He's committed to Yale and was generating some earlier-round interest as the Draft approached.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/09/2026	C Michael Oliveto assigned to Detroit Tigers.
	03/05/2026	C Michael Oliveto assigned to Detroit Tigers Prospects.
	08/04/2025	FCL Tigers activated C Michael Oliveto.
	07/24/2025	C Michael Oliveto assigned to FCL Tigers.
	07/23/2025	Detroit Tigers signed C Michael Oliveto.
	05/26/2025	College Workout activated C Michael Oliveto.