Tigers sign former powerful outfielder from Portage Central, Miami (OH)

Zach MacDonald broke Portage Central’s single-season home run record in 2021.

Three years later, his power is still great.

And on Tuesday it sold the Detroit Tigers.

The former Portage Central star hitter and Miami (OH) outfielder was selected by his home state’s Tigers on Tuesday afternoon as the 446th overall pick in the 15th round of the 2024 MLB Draft.

MacDonald, a right-hander with a lot of power, not only set Central’s home run record, but his 20 four-hit hits for the RedHawks also ranked second in program history in 2024.

The 6’1″ outfielder is coming off his career year so far with the RedHawks, where he set career highs in batting average (.337), fielding percentage (.994), hits (70), home runs (20), on-base percentage (.462), OPS (1.145), RBI (62), runs scored (62), slugging percentage (.683) and stolen bases (15).

MacDonald led the Mid-American Conference in batting average that season and finished second in home runs and OPS. He would also finish third in runs scored and triples, sixth in stolen bases and sixth in on-base percentage.

For his performance in 2024, MacDonald was named to the ABCA/Rawlings East All-Region first team and was also an All-MAC and MAC All-Defensive first team selection.

He is the first RedHawk to receive All-Region honors since 2012.

At Central in 2021, MacDonald was part of a star-studded lineup that included current Kansas teammates Gavin Brasosky and Luke Leto on a team that reached the Division 1 state championship game.

MacDonald set the Mustangs’ school record with 15 home runs in his final season and had a .496 batting average with 16 doubles and seven triples while also scoring 61 runs and striking out 63.

That kind of success was especially strong in Miami last season, when he battled through four games with two home runs each and ended up just one home run away from tying the program record set by Michael Carlin from 2000 to 2003 with 44 home runs.

MacDonald also spent the 2022 season with the Kalamazoo Growlers, helping the team win its first Northwoods League title.