Detroit Tigers Rising Star Shockingly Predicted to Not Make Opening Day Roster

The Detroit Tigers could have a different looking roster than expected in the wake of a recent huge signing.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Jackson Jobe (21) throws against Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning at Game 4 of ALDS at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers offseason had been slow developing for a while, but to this point most fans would agree this winter has been a rousing success.

Things culminated last week in a massive development when the Tigers brought right-hander Jack Flaherty back to Detroit on a two-year deal, a potentially team-changing acquisition and one which puts the rotation from questionable to one of the highest ceilings in the entire league.

Flaherty posted the best numbers of his career during his 18 starts with the Tigers before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now he returns to Detroit coming off the Tigers making a run to within a game of the ALCS, a run that ended largely because of a lack of pitching depth.

A rotation that looked like it was going to have to place a serious load on some young, unproven players now gets significantly deeper and has the potential to be the strength of the team.

One of those young, unproven types is top prospect Jackson Jobe.

After making his debut in late September before getting a taste of how tough the MLB hitting can be in the playoffs when he got roughed up a bit. Still showing the elite stuff that makes him the top pitching prospect in baseball however, Jobe was expected to be a key member of the starting rotation and start to learn on the fly in 2025.

With the addition of Flaherty however, he isn't actually guaranteed a spot in the big leagues to begin the season. In fact, Bob Heyrman of FanSided wrote in a recent article his belief that Jobe will not be on the Opening Day roster.

"Now, with Flaherty returning to the organization it allows the Tigers to remain patient with their top pitching prospect," he wrote.

He went on to write that he believed Jobe would log time with the Tigers during the 2025 season, but would start with Triple-A Toledo.

Heyrman is certainly correct in asserting Jobe will see some time in Major League Baseball this season regardless. But him not making the Opening Day roster would be a bit of a shock based on where the rotation looked to be just weeks ago.

Jobe was expected to not just make the roster, but possibly be the team's No. 2 or No. 3 arm and someone they relied upon heavily to make a significant number of starts. Now, Jobe finds himself not behind just Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson, but also Flaherty and likely veteran free agent signing Alex Cobb, putting the youngster in a battle for the final spot.

Barring Jobe coming into spring training and simply blowing everyone away — something which is not exactly impossible — he has a fight on his hands in order to prove why he should start the season with the Tigers.