Well, the deal is done. The Detroit Tigers traded away their former ninth-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner, the fastest pitcher in franchise history to reach 1,000 strikeouts, their ace, Tarik Skubal, to the Los Angeles Dodgers in their pursuit of a three-peat. It's bittersweet for Detroit fans, having watched Skubal's first strikeout against Eloy Jimenez of the Chicago White Sox in 2020 all the way to his Triple Crown season on the mound in 2024. But at the end of the day, Major League Baseball is a business, and sometimes business decisions are difficult. The Tigers appear to have a promising future ahead, at least on paper, particularly if the three prospects acquired from the Dodgers develop as Scott Harris hopes. Let's take a closer look at the newest members of the organization.OF Zyhir HopeLos Angeles Dodgers outfielder Zyhir Hope poses for a portrait. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe biggest piece the Tigers got in return for Skubal was the Dodgers' fifth-best prospect, the No. 25 overall prospect in the MLB, outfielder Zyhir Hope. Hope has impressed at every level he's played so far since getting drafted, primarily breaking out this season in Double-A. Now the No. 2 overall prospect in Detroit's farm system per MLB Pipeline, Hope holds an MLB ETA of 2027. However, if he continues to perform well in his transition from the Tulsa Drillers to the Erie SeaWolves, he might be a sneaky September call-up for the Tigers, especially if they're still in the AL Wild Card hunt. Hope was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, but was traded to Los Angeles in exchange for right-handed pitcher Yency Almonte and infielder Michael Busch in January of 2024. In 2026, the 21-year-old has hit 23 home runs, driven in 87 RBIs, a .293 batting average with 18 stolen bases, an OBP of .369 and an OPS of .899. The only downfall on paper for Hope is his strikeout-to-walk ratio, which sits at 106 to 45While he's another left-handed hitter, the power in his bat should complement Comerica Park very well in the future. RHP River RyanLos Angeles Dodgers pitcher River Ryan (77) warms up with a football before the game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectDetroit was looking for a starting pitcher who could be inserted into the rotation right away, and they got that with MLB's 68th-best prospect, No. 4 for Detroit, once Max Clark is no longer considered a prospect, River Ryan. Ryan has pitched in the Major Leagues before, posting a 1.33 ERA in four games, collecting 18 strikeouts in 20.1 innings, but not since 2024, missing the entire 2025 campaign due to Tommy John surgery. Ryan has pitched this season at the Triple-A level, posting a 4.46 ERA in 36.1 innings. Those are the highest numbers of his professional career, so the Tigers are hoping that as he gets healthy, his ERA will decrease and his strikeouts will increase, having struck out 110 in 2023. Tigers PR on X (formerly Twitter) revealed that Ryan will report to Triple-A Toledo and will be placed on their injured list as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury. Ryan hasn't pitched since June 17. Ryan, 27, has a six-pitch mix to choose from, making him another versatile arm for Detroit. Pairing him with Troy Melton, Keider Montero, Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson, the Tigers could have a filthy young core of starting pitchers for the rotation for a handful of years. RHP Brady SmithDetroit Tigers hat in the Tigers dugout. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe final piece in the Skubal deal is right-handed pitcher Brady Smith. Smith has a while before making it to the big leagues and still has a lot to learn at just 21 years old. Scott Harris' camp enjoys adding pitchers they can develop; after all, a handful have turned out tremendously well (like Skubal, who was a ninth-round pick). Playing at the Single-A level in 2026, Smith has posted a 7.71 ERA in two starts, not even reaching double-digit innings pitched. In the 2026 season overall, Smith holds a 4.36 ERA, having posted a 3.88 ERA in 19 starts at the Class A level. Smith was drafted by the Dodgers in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of high school, so it makes sense why the Tigers will have to wait to see what he turns into. He has potential to be an impactful player for the organization, one that fans shouldn't write off too soon based on his current numbers. Smith will report to Class A West Michigan. Additional notes on Smith: the Tennessee high school product had Tommy John surgery shortly after turning pro and now holds a 13.68 K/9 in 2026, besting his 12.43 K/9 in 2025. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow