Photo courtesy of MLB
Derek Hill (front) and his mother share a moment of happiness
after the Tigers picked Hill 23rd overall in Thursday's
first round of the draft.

A guest at the New Jersey MLB Draft headquarters for Thursday’s proceedings, high school center fielder Derek Hill was asked his favorite player. 

He did not hesitate in his answer, naming Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter, the nine-time Gold Glove winner.

When — and if — Hill signs, he’ll be in the same organization.

[PHOTO GALLERY]

The Tigers selected the speedster from Elk Grove High School in California with the 23rd pick in the first round of the MLB Draft.

A University of Oregon recruit, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Hill is one of the fastest players in the draft, running a sub-6.4-second 60-yard dash, and is the best defensive outfielder. His father, Orsino, a former minor-league player, is an area scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“My dad tells me to be humble and to appreciate this,” Hill told the Sacramento Bee. “I’ve been around the game my entire life, so I know how to act, what to say. It was a little more nerve-wracking at first for games but I just did the best I could, but it’s been an absolute blast. We’re almost there. Can’t wait.”

Several of the Tigers’ other favorite prospects — UNLV starter Erick Fedde, Virginia closer Nick Howard, TCU lefty Brandon Finnegan, Wichita St. first baseman Casey Gillaspie — went in the picks right before Detroit’s.

The Tigers have only drafted 23rd overall once before, in 1979, selecting Livonia High’s Chris Baker, as a compensatory pick for losing free agent Jim Slaton to the Brewers.

Detroit picks next at No. 63 in the second round. [UPDATED STORY]

The MLB Network Showcase will carry two Detroit Tigers games to its broadcast schedule for the month of June. The broadcasts are available in the team's home TV market, but will still be broadcast on Fox Sports Detroit

MLB Network will broadcast the Friday, June 6 series opener between the Red Sox and Tigers from Comerica Park. Matt Vasgersian will do the play-by-play, while John Smoltz and Tom Verducci will do the color commentary.

The series opener in Texas between the Tigers and Rangers on Tuesday, June 24 will also be on the network. Vasgersian and Smoltz will be on that broadcast, along with reporter Sam Ryan.

A byproduct of Justin Verlander's Cy Young-MVP season in 2011 has been monumentally increased face time for the Tigers star. He's been on the late-night TV talk show "Conan," on the cover of the video game MLB2K12, on the cover of a cereal box, and now a part of MLB's Opening Day commercial campaign.

In the ad campaign — which will run on MLB Network and ESPN — several stars, including Verlander, issue some bold predictions for the 2012 season. In addition to promising "more complete games," Verlander also (jokingly?!?) promises to "throw 107." As long as his arm doesn't fall off, I suppose ...

Here's the main spot:


Verlander also had some out-takes, like demonstrating the grips for his pitches (and calls the four-seam fastball his "money-maker")



He also talks about the first time he hit 100 on the radar gun ...



... as well as his first curveball grip



And, lastly, the grip for the "Vulcan change-up" ...