Detroit Tigers Star Prospect Looking Like Future Ace in Spring Training
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Down the stretch of the 2024 season, the starting rotation for the Detroit Tigers was arguably their biggest weakness.
Beyond Tarik Skubal, who would take home the American League Cy Young Award at the end of the year, there weren’t many reliable options for manager A.J. Hinch to turn to.
Rookie Keider Montero had some flashes, but once the postseason rolled around, it was openers with bulk inning guys behind them or full bullpen games when Skubal wasn’t toeing the rubber.
However, that weakness has turned into a strength with the additions made during the offseason and in-house options emerging.
Bringing Jack Flaherty back as a free agent after being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the deadline provides them with a legitimate No. 2 behind their ace.
Veteran Alex Cobb was signed in free agency as well but is already dealing with an injury.
Luckily for the Tigers, they have plenty of options to turn to who are going to fill out the starting rotation.
Reese Olson looks locked into the No. 3 spot. Former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize is making a strong push for a rotation spot with some dominant performances this spring, finally looking to realize his potential.
Montero is making a strong case to receive some starts as well, but it is their star prospect, Jackson Jobe, who looks poised to take one of the perceived available spots.
He flashed some potential during his debut in 2024, but it was out of the bullpen as a reliever. That is not where his future lies, as he has the potential to be amongst the best starters in the game.
He took the mound on Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays and was dealing, showcasing his ace-level potential as his newly developed pitches continue to look good.
Across 3.2 innings of work, Jobe allowed only one hit with two walks and one strikeout. He wasn’t generating many swings and strikes with a below average 16.0% whiff rate, but he was dealing with a 114 proStuff+ score.
Four of his pitches, four-seam fastball, sinker, cutter and changeup, all had proStuff+ scores of at least 116.
His sinker was the best of the bunch with a proStuff+ of 126 and a whiff rate of 20.0%. It was the four-seamer that generated the most swings and misses with a 25.0% whiff rate.
Already possessing multiple plus-pitches in his arsenal at only 22 years old, the future is incredibly bright for the Detroit youngster.
He should be atop the team’s rotation for years to come alongside Skubal, creating a potentially dominant one-two punch to build their staff around.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.