LAKELAND, Fla. — They sit side by side in the Detroit Tigers clubhouse, best friends and best prospects, waiting their turn, biding their time. Eventually, Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark hope to move from the middle row of lockers to the ones against the wall where the stars reside. But for now, their roles are simple.

They’re sponges, soaking it all in. Talented sponges and wide-eyed sponges, absorbing everything they can in their first big-league camp.

“It’s cliche but it’s absolutely true,” said outfielder Max Clark, a consensus top-10 prospect. “Obviously it’s tough, everybody wants to be in the big leagues, that’s everybody’s childhood dream. You just have to continue to push that envelope until it’s time. Just being in this room is exciting. There’s so much talent, so much knowledge here, it’s crazy.”

Crazy days indeed as the star power files into Tigertown for the first full-squad workout Sunday, with expectations ramped higher than ever. Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander have gone from introductory press conferences to their locker stools. Two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal threw live batting practice Friday and fired 20 effortless pitches, his first action since Game 5 of the ALDS in Seattle.

Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson got here early, preparing for their fifth seasons, no longer wide-eyed after slugging a combined 67 home runs last season. A few years ago, they sat where McGonigle and Clark sit, a great place to be, for now.

McGonigle is the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball, an infielder who can play second or third, but yearns to play shortstop like his idol, Alan Trammell. He’s among the most-discussed players across spring training, with many in baseball expecting him to join the Tigers by midseason.

AJ Hinch is putting no such expectations on McGonigle or Clark. Neither has even played at Triple-A yet. The Tigers are returning all 13 positional players from last season’s second consecutive playoff team, so there’s no rush.

“For every minor league player, the goal is to get up there quick,” McGonigle said. “I know the Tigers have a plan with all the guys. I’m gonna do whatever I can to maybe force their hand and put me up there. If that’s not the case this year, I’ll be playing where my feet are and it won’t affect me at all.”

Hinch 'intrigued'

It’s no secret the Tigers could use more offensive pop. Their late-season hitting swoon was hard to watch, and hard to understand. They went from near the top of every offensive category to near the bottom after the All-Star break, and finished in the middle.

When will Hinch and president of baseball operations Scott Harris tap their precocious prospects? As soon as they’re confident the youngsters can handle it. Both have speed and quick bats, the type of homegrown athleticism the Tigers crave.

“I’m intrigued by what they bring overall, there’s no area of the game where they can’t have an impact,” Hinch said. “But this spring, I’d like them to settle in and just play. The easy trap to fall into as a young player is to come in and try to be a caricature of yourself, because you’re trying to fit in, trying to look like a big leaguer. When in reality that can be a big distraction if you’re not authentic. Just getting them to learn and be a sponge is the No. 1 goal.”

Proper sponging can prevent quick expunging, as the theory goes. Clark and McGonigle get it, which doesn’t mean they’re not trying to push it. After all, they’ve spent much of their young careers pushing each other.

They’re the same age (21) and were drafted the same year. Clark was taken No. 3 overall in 2023 and McGonigle went 37th. Both arrived straight out of high school, roomed together in the minor league dorms and became friends, always willing to help each other out. Clark is the outgoing rambunctious one who wears four solid-diamond chains around his neck. McGonigle is the reserved, responsible one who politely declines Clark’s offer to get him some bling to match his swing.

“I’m working on him,” Clark said. “I’m getting him into watches, they’re a little easier to come by. That’s my goal for 2026, to get Kevin McGonigle a watch.”

When Clark gets wound up, he’s thoroughly entertaining. He plays the same way, brash and bullish, but has gone through some helpful humbling. He hit .251 with a .798 OPS in Double-A last year, but outfield speed is his strength. He’s already working with centerfielder Parker Meadows, sponging as best as he can.

Opposites attract

Everyone needs a wakeup call now and then, and Clark used to get his from McGonigle.

“Hilarious story,” Clark said. “He was actually my accountability buddy in the dorms. I wasn’t very good at waking up at 7, so he was my human alarm ‘cuz I would never wake up to my alarm. Nowadays, I'm waking right up on the first beep. He trained me well I guess."

McGonigle smiled and confirmed his vital role, which came with a price.

“I told him I’m gonna need something out of that,” McGonigle said. “So he gave me a putter. It’s kinda the way we work, pick each other up, and it leads onto the field as well.”

It leads onto the golf course too. The other day, they went golfing and it sounds as if their games befit their personalities and their body types. Clark is 6-foot, 205 pounds. McGonigle is a compact 5-10, 187.

“I’m more consistent off the tee box, but when he gets into one, he can hit it a long way,” McGonigle said. “I beat him.”

“I don’t know about all that, he lost a few balls in the pond,” said Clark, who got married in December. “I’ve known Kevin since we were 15. It’s crazy to have one of your best friends from baseball end up becoming a real best friend. I’m definitely louder, and he’s as quiet as it comes. But we mesh together, like opposites attract, and hold each other accountable. Kevin is the most down-to-earth human being and the best player I’ve seen in my life.”

McGonigle is one of the best prospects the Tigers have seen in a while. He hit .337 with a 1.021 OPS in Double-A, then went to the Arizona Fall League and hit a scorching .362 with a 1.210 OPS. He’s worked especially hard on his defense, with his eye on shortstop.

His eyes are not, however, on his lofty prospect ranking.

“I feel everyone in the minor leagues is out there competing for the same thing, I don’t think it really matters about the rankings,” McGonigle said. “Everyone’s trying to get to the majors, become an All-Star, try to win a World Series. The biggest thing is just learning from all the guys in this clubhouse.”

They can look across the room and see stars like Skubal, Verlander and others, and watch them work. Sometimes they have to blink twice.

“JV has literally been in the league longer than I’ve been alive,” Clark said, and he’s right. “It’s crazy to have that guy around. My first ever baseball video game, he actually was on the cover. I got to chat with him a bit yesterday and it’s already like, I love that guy!”

Eventually for Clark and McGonigle, it’ll be time to rake. For now, it’s a great time to soak.

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