The Detroit Tigers already got a glimpse of how the Tarik Skubal trade could pay off. River Ryan made two starts for Detroit in September, and Zyhir Hope finished the year as the organization’s No. 1 prospect in MLB Pipeline’s rankings. Brady Smith, the youngest pitcher in the deal, struck out 118 batters in his first extended run as a professional starter.

The Tigers sent Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 2, one day before the deadline. According to MLB Pipeline, it was the first trade since at least 2004 in which a team received two top-100 prospects for a player approaching free agency. Of the three prospects Detroit acquired for Skubal, Hope and Ryan were closest to contributing in the Majors, while Smith gave the club another starter to develop.

River Ryan Gives Detroit a Rotation Option for 2027

Ryan was on the injured list with a hamstring strain when the Tigers acquired him. He had also missed all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. After two abbreviated starts for Triple-A Toledo, he threw three scoreless innings in his Detroit debut against the Washington Nationals on Sept. 21.

He allowed two runs in 1.1 innings in his second start, finishing with six strikeouts over 4.1 Major League innings. The next test is whether Ryan can carry his stuff deeper into games and take regular turns. If he shows that in spring training, he could compete with Reese Olson and other arms for a spot in Detroit’s rotation.

Zyhir Hope and Brady Smith Give the Trade Room to Grow

Hope hit .287/.367/.513 with 29 home runs and 26 stolen bases in 124 Double-A games across both organizations. He hit .269/.360/.462 with six home runs in 30 games for Erie after the trade, then carried his power into the Double-A playoffs.

Hope earned an Arizona Fall League Fall Stars selection after playing 16 games. The Detroit News reported that he would skip the showcase because the Tigers had planned to end his fall workload in October.

A stretch at Triple-A in 2027 would give Detroit a better read on how his power plays against more experienced pitching. If he handles that test, the Tigers could have another everyday outfielder arriving while Max Clark and Riley Greene are already in the lineup.

Smith has a longer runway. He finished with a 4.24 ERA and 118 strikeouts against 34 walks in 80.2 innings across three minor league affiliates. Only 6.1 of those innings came with High-A West Michigan. Smith left his second start for the Whitecaps early, went on the injured list, and was reinstated Sept. 21.

At 21, Smith has time to sharpen his fastball command and make better use of his changeup against more advanced hitters. A healthy run of starts at High-A would give Detroit a chance to see whether he can sustain that strikeout production as his workload grows.

Ryan could give Detroit innings next spring, Hope could bring power to the lineup later in the year, and Smith could advance through the minors while both contribute. That gives the Tigers several chances to get years of production from a trade made with two months left on Skubal’s contract.