Former Sun Devils Star Spencer Torkelson Ready to Deliver at Major League Level

The former No. 1 overall pick will make his MLB debut on Friday for the Detroit Tigers.

Author:
Donnie Druin
Publish date:
Apr 7, 2022 12:07 PM EDT

For the Detroit Tigers, the beginning of baseball season has quickly been followed by utter dissapointment.

The Tigers last made the playoffs in 2014, and have had a winning season only once since that time. The 2022 seasons marks a decade since Detroit made its last World Series appearance, which has felt like an eternity for Tigers faithful.

However, a new source of hope has arrived for Detroit.

Infielder Spencer Torkelson is set to make his MLB debut on Friday when the Tigers play host to the Chicago White Sox.

Torkelson, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, had a promising season in the minors last year before making Detroit's opening-day roster.

His spring training wasn't too shabby, either.

According to MLB.com, Torkelson will become the first Tigers position player to make his Major League debut in the opening-day lineup since Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore in 2010.

It's a big accomplishment for one of Arizona State's best prospects to enter the majors in quite some time. Torkelson left his mark as a Sun Devil, which included Barry Bonds’ record for home runs as a freshman at Arizona State, hitting 25 in 2018. He finished just one home run shy of the NCAA's all-time freshman record.

As a sophomore, Torkelson joined Bob Horner as the only Arizona State players to hit 20 home runs in consecutive years. He also led the Pac-12 in homers in both full college seasons he played and posted a .729 slugging percentage for his career as a Sun Devil.

Torkelson finished three home runs shy of a school record thanks to a COVID-shortened season. He finished with a career total of 53 bombs.

When Torkelson was selected, his signing bonus with the Tigers totaled $8,416,300, the highest signing bonus awarded in MLB draft history.

The hype around Torkelson is very real, as MLB.com writes: "For a Detroit fan base that has seen five consecutive losing seasons since the team began its rebuild in the summer of 2017, Torkelson is a symbol of hope that the Tigers can mash again like they did when Miguel Cabrera was a Triple Crown winner, Prince Fielder was a two-time Home Run Derby champion and J.D. Martinez was a surprise sensation."

Torkelson is only 22-years-old, yet his presence on the Tigers has everybody in the world of baseball giddy for what looks to be a bright future.

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