Wojo: Kevin McGonigle is Tigers’ face of the future, and the scorching present

Detroit — Kevin McGonigle is humble and polite, hard-wired and soft-spoken. But what he and the Tigers just did is loud enough for everyone to hear.

The Tigers made an immense commitment to their rookie infielder, signing him to an eight-year, $150-millon contract extension Wednesday. Major-league teams have started taking the proactive approach — more prudent than risky — when they recognize they have a special young player.

But even more impressive was the commitment McGonigle made to the Tigers. He signed away the opportunity to become a free-agent in 2031 and will make an average of $18.75 million through the deal. He’s only 21 and has played 18 major-league games, so there’s a lot of projecting and guessing here. The thing is, McGonigle’s early performance defies guessing.

This is a deal that should work for everyone, but mostly for Tigers fans. At his current pace, McGonigle can become the face of the franchise, the home-grown guy who committed to stay even at his own financial risk. He gets a $14-million signing bonus but a salary of only $1 million next season. In the final three years of the contract, he’ll make $23 million annually, which would be below market value if the market keeps escalating and McGonigle keeps excelling.

But this isn’t about money. The Tigers wisely separated business from baseball and let McGonigle develop at an unburdened pace. When he began flourishing as quickly as any young Tiger ever has, they made the move. McGonigle is hitting .313 and leads the team in hits, runs, on-base percentage (.421) and OPS (.905) and has a 1.1 bWAR, one of only 10 players in the majors with a mark that high.

In the spring, McGonigle was ranked the first- or second-best prospect in baseball, and the only question was his defense. He’s played flawlessly at third base and shortstop, and although it’s a small sample size, it doesn’t feel like a long-term gamble for the Tigers. Even if there is a slight risk, owner Chris Ilitch seems more and more inclined to go for it.

Scott Harris, president of baseball operations, and manager AJ Hinch are effusive in their praise of McGonigle, not just for his ability, but for his stability. He’s unflustered, seemingly unbothered by the stir he’s creating. He choked up at his press conference Wednesday when he mentioned his parents, and that resonated with teammates and Hinch.

Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) points out to Dillon Dingler who doubled to score McGonigle in the eighth inning.

What resonates even more is his composed demeanor. He’s already a four-tool player — hit for average, run, throw, field. With his sturdy build and quick compact swing, he can add the fifth tool — hit for power. And yes, even the sixth tool – loyalty.

He was asked why he would commit so early in his career, giving up his shot at free-agency when he turns 27, and his answer was something you don’t often hear.

“Since I’ve been drafted, it’s just who I am, I’m loyal,” McGonigle said. “I want to stick in one spot and help the team out and win a World Series. I know it was the right move.”

It’s looked like the right move since the season opener, when McGonigle collected the first four hits of his MLB career in a victory at San Diego. Tigers fans got their look in the home opener, when McGonigle moved to the leadoff spot and had a hit.

“This city’s gonna fall in love with this kid because of how he plays and how he represents himself,” Hinch said. “We just gotta let him play, gotta let him learn, and we gotta let him fail a little bit.”

Yes, baseball can get famously bumpy for anyone. But the love affair is well underway.

Comerica Park suddenly alive

Comerica Park is suddenly alive this week, with the Tigers on a five-game winning streak, including back-to-back 2-1 victories over the Royals. When McGonigle scored the winning run Tuesday night, racing around from first on a Dillon Dingler double in the eighth inning, the roar of the crowd was intense.

He tries to downplay his impact, and his humility comes naturally. He told Hinch he thought he was running slowly on Dingler’s hit, but he was clocked at 27.9 feet per second, which isn’t blazing but isn’t slow.

If there’s ego in him, it has yet to sprout. He’s connected easily with veteran teammates, many of whom showed up in the back of the room for his press conference. Tarik Skubal piped in and asked McGonigle if he was prepared to take the boys out for dinner in Boston this weekend. He smiled and nodded affirmatively.

McGonigle has moved in and moved up, already settled into the leadoff spot. He’s precisely the type of player Harris has coveted since taking the job here, an all-around talent who can command the strike zone. McGonigle has more walks (12) than strikeouts (10) and one of the best whiff rates in baseball.

Perspective is important with young players early in a season. But McGonigle represents the first full-circle player in Harris’ plan. The Tigers paid a premium to draft him 37th overall in 2023, let him develop in the minors, then elevated him to the majors when he was ready, not too soon, not too late.

“Kevin is a special talent, and he’s a special person,” Harris said. “He has some rare gifts in the batter’s box, and what might be less obvious is, he has the grit and determination to be great. He’s hard-wired to be great.”

Hard-wired and soft-spoken, with an endearing mix of modesty. For the Tigers and their fans, what’s not to love?

Bob.wojnowski@detroitnews.com

@bobwojnowski

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers sign Kevin McGonigle to eight-year, $150M contact