Ty Madden said he "can't really explain it." He said it wasn't a matter of money. He was widely considered one of the top 10 prospects in the MLB Draft and every team with a first-round pick passed on him. Other players might use that as fuel.
Madden, the hard-throwing righty who fell to Detroit, says he has all the fuel he needs.
"I don’t think I really need more motivation," he said. "I’ve just committed and want to be the best at what I do, and I’m just ready to be a Tiger."
Madden might be a Detroit Tiger sooner than you think. He has a big-league frame at 6'3, 215 lbs. and he just won Big 12 Pitcher of the Year after posting a 2.45 ERA in his junior season at Texas. Per MLB Pipeline, "scouts love the way he attacks hitters. He has the ingredients to become a frontline starter."
And the Tigers have the ingredients to form the best rotation in baseball. This was probably true before Sunday evening, when Detroit also drafted prep pitcher Jackson Jobe third overall. Now it's undeniable. So Madden isn't sweating his draft-day slide.
The way he sees it, he fits the Tigers like a glove.
"I think it’s a perfect organization for me," he said. "They have a great reputation of developing college pitchers, so I think it’s the perfect spot."
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That reputation -- in Madden's lifetime, anyway -- dates back to Justin Verlander, the second overall pick out of Old Dominion in 2004. These days, it's manifested in Casey Mize, the first overall pick out of Auburn in 2018, and Tarik Skubal, a ninth-round pick out of Seattle University that same year.
In a couple years, Madden should be joining those two in Detroit. He'll also be linking up with Chris Fetter, one of the most advanced pitching coaches in baseball. With Fetter's help, Madden said he's eager to boost "my whole repertoire."
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Right now, he throws a sinking fastball in the mid 90's that sometimes tickles triple digits. His over-the-top arm slot makes it especially nasty down in the zone. His slider is his best off-speed pitch, and he said he "really started to develop" his changeup this season and is ready to add a curve.
"Just a workhorse guy with a great competitive edge to him," said Tigers director of amateur scouting Scott Pleis.
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Madden, 21, grew up in Houston. That means he grew up cheering for the Astros and A.J. Hinch. He said he "loved Hinch and watching what he did with them. I'm pumped to get to work with him." He already works with fellow Texas product and 2018 Tigers' draft pick Cody Clemens in the offseason.
The signs are numerous that Madden wound up in the right place, including one from above: he wore No. 32 at Texas before being drafted No. 32 by Detroit.
"Just a God sign that this is where I’m meant to be," he said. "And to trust his process because he’s got a plan."
So do the Tigers. Theirs is predicated on pitching, and their process should make the most out of Madden.