How Tigers Could Have Gotten Even Better in Rotation in 2021 MLB Redraft

The Detroit Tigers did well with their first-round pick in 2021 but based on performance a re-draft gave them a better option.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Jackson Jobe (21) throws against San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers went with Jackson Jobe with their first-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft. Was he worth the pick?

Jobe, a prep pitcher who is the son of former PGA Tour professional Brandt Jobe, made his MLB debut late in the 2024 season and helped the Tigers reach the playoffs. As 2025 started, he made the opening-day roster and was in the starting rotation.

In his 10 starts, he went 4-1 with a 4.22 ERA in 49 innings, with 39 strikeouts and 27 walks with a 1.490 WHIP. But his season was cut short due to an elbow injury in late May, which led to Tommy John surgery. It’s possible Jobe could return late in the 2026 season. But it’s more realistic to assume he would make a significant impact on the rotation in 2027.

But what if the Tigers didn’t get Jobe in 2021? What would their future look like then?

Baseball America (subscription required) recently did a redraft of the 2021 MLB draft, the one in which the Tigers landed Jobe. With the benefit of hindsight and performance, the Tigers still ended up with pitching. In fact, they ended up with a pitcher they faced in last season’s playoffs.

An Alternative First-Round Pick for the Tigers

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

In the redraft, the Tigers ended up with Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo, who was originally taken by the Mariners in the sixth round of that draft. A pick like that is one teams typically must wait on — and the Mariners had to wait longer. During his draft eligible season, he had to go through Tommy John surgery, which slowed his development.

But the wait was worth it for Seattle. He made his MLB debut in 2023, and he went 4-5 with a 4.21 ERA in 18 starts. He built on that in 2024, as he went 9-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 22 starts. Last season turned into a breakthrough campaign for him.

Woo made the American League All-Star team for the first time and went 15-7 with a 2.94 ERA in 30 starts. He struck out 198 and walked 36 in 186.2 innings. He finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting.

While Jobe is well-respected in the organization, it’s not hard to imagine a universe where Woo is Tarik Skubal’s running buddy in the rotation. They would be one of the best 1-2 punches in the game. And, with Woo unable to be a free agent until 2030, he might soften the blow to the franchise if Skubal departs in free agency after 2026.

Jobe should be back at full strength in 2027, which means he’s a rotation option for the Tigers whether Skubal stays or goes. While Jobe’s development is still underway, Woo is much closer to being a finished product. In a different world, he would be the better pick.