Detroit, MI
Tigers select pitcher Ethan Schiefelbein with the 72nd pick in 2024 MLB Draft
With the 72nd pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, the Detroit Tigers have selected pitcher Ethan Schiefelbein.
With an unusual amount of current polish for a high schooler, Schiefelbein isn’t what you might expect from an early round prep pitcher. He’s a lefty from Corona High School in California, a not insignificant baseball school on the prep scene, and has a college commitment to play at UCLA. His reputation is built on the fact that he has a remarkably smooth pitching motion for someone so young, advanced control, and a track record of good performance on the showcase circuit.
With a portfolio that’s meant to be greater than the sum of its parts, none of Schiefelbein’s individual traits stand out on their own. His fastball sits in the 89-92 mile per hour range with the ability to reach 95 on occasion. There isn’t the expectation that he will become a pinpoint wizard, but he exhibits a better understanding of how to get strikes with his low-powered heater than most his age and the Tigers will expect to build him up to that top line velocity consistently in time.
All the public draft boards give roughly average grades to his other pitches, with the expectation that he’ll be able to work them into a consistent game plan even if they never overpower the opposition. Baseball America and FanGraphs give his knuckle-curve an above average projection, betting on its ability to pair with the fastball. MLB Pipeline has a preference for his slider instead. Either way, the idea is that he’ll build up to using his out pitch by keeping away from hitter’s barrels rather than blowing them away with eye-popping stuff.
You’ve seen this style of pitcher before. Not to demean what he does well, but he’s cut from the same cloth as a hundred guys who have been given the “crafty lefty” label. The edge he has over others in a similar vein is that, given his youth and the Tigers’ ability to help pitchers perfect their fastball, Schiefelbein may be able to tap into the higher end of his velocity band more consistently. If that happens, and he doesn’t sacrifice his ability to spot the pitch in the process, he may come out the other side with more of a mid-rotation look.
In their pre-draft analysis of Schiefelbein, Baseball America noted that some teams would have liked to see him get to UCLA and reevaluate his progress in a couple years. There’s no questioning his feel to pitch, but everything depends on his projection from here. That is a risky proposition, even if he has the know-how and some notable peripheral fastball metrics.
This isn’t the most exciting pick, but the Tigers know pitching. They clearly think they can make Schiefelbein pop, and my interest is piqued to see how they do it.
Detroit has now selected three consecutive high schoolers to start their 2024 draft class. While most of the conversation will naturally focus on what will happen with Bryce Rainer, their first round pick, it’s worth commenting that, on a broader level, Scott Harris and his team are positioning themselves among the boldest drafters out there. No team drafts players within the top ten rounds unless they have a measure of confidence a deal can be reached. Mark Conner, one of Harris’ top lieutenants, had a hand in San Diego’s similar draft strategy in the late 2010s.
They generally made it work, just as the Tigers did last year despite a couple of prep players deciding to go to college instead. Prioritizing the most talented players in the first few rounds and locking them down is a costly business, but when teams draft this way, they worry about making the money work for the middle and late rounds after the draft. Nevertheless, it’s tough to see how Detroit is gonna seal the deal without effectively burning a few picks to save money along the way. That’s a defensible tradeoff they seem very willing to make.
Follow along with our Day 2 coverage here at Bless You Boys, as the draft starts back up again at 2:00 p.m. ET with the first pick of round three.
Detroit, MI
Dane Brugler Releases Impactful Detroit Lions 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
The Detroit Lions have been doing their due diligence on several of the top offensive tackles that are available in the 2026 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler released his latest mock draft, and it included all picks for each of the 32 team’s in the league.
At No. 17, the Lions stay at their position and chose Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.
Mel Kiper Jr. also linked the Lions to the talented lineman in his latest two-round mock draft.
As Brugler explained, “Though he’s inexperienced in areas, Freeling is an ascending player with above-average size and athletic traits. The Lions have short-term options opposite Penei Sewell, but Freeling has the talent to earn his way onto the field at some point during his rookie season.”
At No. 50, Brugler has the Lions landing defensive back D’Angelo Ponds out of Indiana.
At 5’9 and 170 pounds, some have mocked Ponds in the first-round, given his success with the College Football Playoff champions.
He recorded a PFF grade of 88.8 overall (8th best among defensive backs), seven interceptions and 31 pass breakups last season.
In several draft previews, Ponds has been compared to current Lions defensive back DJ Reed.
At the combine, the talented defender said he was asked a lot about a play he made against the Oregon Ducks early in the contest.
“The Oregon pick six, which was the first play of the game.” Ponds expressed. “I feel like a lot of coaches asked about this play in the meetings. Every coach really started their meeting off with that play. So, I would say that that was one of them. Just to show my football IQ, how I watch film and study quarterbacks and knowing the ball had to come out fast. Things like that.”
Some scouts are projecting his skills being better suited as a slot cornerback, but Ponds is willing to play on the outside or in the slot at the next level.
“I’m willing to play both, whatever the team needs. I’m comfortable at playing both. I played inside in high school. I got the ability to play both, and I can make plays at both. I’m a competitor as well,” said Ponds. “I always look for the best competition, being that I came from JMU to Indiana just to play against the Top competition in big 10. And I’m a winner.
A”ctually, I can count on probably one hand and one finger how many games I lost in my college career. So, I would say I’m a winner, and I just have that winning mindset.”
Brugler’s Detroit Lions 7-round 2026 NFL mock draft
1.) (17). Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
2.) (50). D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
4.) (118). Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami
4.) (128). Caden Curry, EDGE, Ohio State
5.) (157). Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
5.) (181). Dallen Bentley, TE, Utah
6.) (205). Gary Smith III, DT, UCLA
6.) (213). Owen Heinicke, LB, Oklahoma
7.) (222). Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech
For more comprehensive Detroit Lions coverage and NFL insider analysis, follow us on X, @detroitpodcast, head on over to our Facebook page and give it a like, follow us on TikTok, subscribe to the Detroit Lions On SI Lone Wolves YouTube Channel.
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Detroit, MI
Tornado Watch issued for SE Michigan into early Wednesday morning
4Warn Weather – The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Tornado Watch for all of Southeastern Michigan until 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, April 15, 2026.
As we’ve been highlighting throughout the day, we are in an atmospheric situation where showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop tonight and into the overnight, and severe thunderstorms are likely.
Remember, a Tornado Watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather, including tornadoes, in and close to the watch area.
Forecast Update
We’re watching thunderstorms forming off to the west of Metro Detroit, which could develop into a line capable of producing damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes late tonight and into the overnight hours.
Multiple tornado warnings have been issued tonight, with damage confirmed over Southeastern Wisconsin.
These storms are moving into Michigan within the next few hours and will impact Metro Detroit late tonight and into the overnight hours.
What is a Tornado Watch?
A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop across a large region.
Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center, a national forecasting center that monitors severe weather across the United States.
A watch can cover multiple counties or even several states and typically lasts several hours. It signals that the atmosphere has the ingredients needed for severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.
Think of a tornado watch as a heads-up to stay alert and be ready if storms begin to develop.
However, tornado watches are not issued for every storm that produces a tornado.
Watches are generally issued when forecasters believe there is a greater chance of multiple storms producing severe weather across a broad area.
If tornado potential is expected to be very isolated or uncertain, forecasters may not issue a tornado watch in advance.
That means it is possible and not uncommon for a tornado warning to be issued even when a tornado watch was never in place.
What is a Tornado Warning?
A Tornado Warning means a tornado is happening or about to happen.
Warnings are issued by local offices of the National Weather Service when radar detects strong rotation within a storm or when a tornado is reported by trained spotters, emergency managers, or the public.
Warnings usually last 20 to 45 minutes and focus on specific communities in the storm’s path.
When a tornado warning is issued, immediate action is needed. People should move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and stay away from windows.
It’s also important to understand that severe thunderstorms themselves can sometimes produce tornadoes.
A storm may first be under a severe thunderstorm warning because it is producing damaging winds or hail.
If meteorologists detect rotation within that storm, a tornado warning may then be issued for areas in the storm’s path, while the severe thunderstorm warning may still remain in effect.
Severe thunderstorms can produce powerful winds capable of causing major damage and becoming deadly, and in some cases, they can also produce tornadoes.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Detroit, MI
Two Detroit Pistons Facing Uncertain Roles in NBA Playoff Rotation
The Detroit Pistons are expected to have their core rotation set ahead of their NBA playoff adventure – but two players will undoubtedly have question marks based upon their performance in the early rounds.
Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, and Jalen Duren will more than likely be the starting five for the Pistons ahead of their first-round tie against the eighth seed, which will be determined from the play-in tournament.
Who are the odd men out?
While Isaiah Stewart and Daniss Jenkins will be Detroit’s first options off the bench, with Caris LeVert, Ron Holland and Javonte Green providing solid minutes, there is a player who will need to get going early, otherwise his minutes could drop unless the Pistons go through injury concerns.
That man is Kevin Huerter.
After a difficult stretch for most of the season, Huerter has finally started to find his rhythm. With the Pistons in need of perimeter shooting, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff may give the veteran guard an opportunity to prove he can consistently knock down shots.
If he struggles, however, he could face limited minutes after the first round, should the Pistons progress.
Ron Holland could face limited minutes as well
If Huerter finds his groove and perhaps attracts a more increased role, then that could cut into the minutes of Holland and Green, with the latter being the only Piston to appear in every game this season, so it’s unlikely Bickerstaff moves away from him entirely, though a slight dip in playing time is possible.
As for Holland, who averaged around 20 minutes per game, he faces more uncertainty heading into the playoffs due to his limitations in Detroit’s half-court offense. If the team runs into trouble, he could also find himself losing valuable minutes
Holland has averaged 8.2 points in 19.9 minutes this season, shooting a respectable 43% from the floor, but for more minutes and to give Bickerstaff a minutes nightmare, his points production will need to improve.
As for the remaining players, Marcus Sasser and Paul Reed are expected to be out of the playoff rotation, along with Chaz Lanier and Tolu Smith. The only exception could be that Reed provides valuable frontcourt depth and would likely be called upon quickly in the event of injuries or foul trouble. Smith might see some minutes, but will mainly be garbage time.
Meanwhile, two-way players Wendell Moore and Isaac Jones are ineligible to participate in the postseason.
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