Which Teams Could Trade for Previous Detroit Tigers Top Prospect Spencer Torkelson?
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With the signing of Gleyber Torres this offseason by the Detroit Tigers, the infield has shifted pretty substantially compared to previous seasons.
As of right now, the projection would be Torres at second base, Colt Keith at first base, and then Spencer Torkelson potentially on the bench.
There have been some projections as to which teams could or should be interested in him, and MLB Trade Rumors recently put out a list of teams they believe would be candidates.
The first thing worth noting is that the Tigers' president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, did not personally make it clear that Torkelson is on the market.
In fact, it was rather the opposite to an extent, when he stated, "If you have a big offseason and a big Spring Training, there’s a role for you on this team. This team needs more right-handed power and we’ve seen Tork do that in the past."
This was made clear in the potential trade destinations article, as at the current juncture, a trade is not imminent and Torkelson still has a shot at earning reps.
With that said, the right offer could sway any team, and if another team wanted to take a shot on the former top prospect, there may be a package that would give Detroit a second thought. The teams discussed as viable candidates were the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, and Colorado Rockies, with potential long-shot teams in the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, and Minnesota Twins.
The case to be made for the Giants is a strong one, considering their current first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. is not a power hitter by any means, rather focusing on batting average and on-base percentage as the keys to his success. In 2024 he only had 8 home runs in 331 at bats, but had a .260 batting average and a .380 OBP, with 62 walks to 90 strikeouts.
San Francisco has been looking heavily into the power market this offseason as well, with names like Pete Alonso coming up recently in discussions. While Torkelson is not Alonso by any means, he would require significantly less capital financially to acquire. With a need for talent on the right side of the infield, this may be a move worth considering for the Giants.
The Marlins are also an extremely intriguing mention, as with them being a less-than-competitive team, it would give Torkelson a chance to really get substantial playing time and work toward a future contract once his current four years are up.
As MLB Trade Rumors mentions, the current first base option for Miami in Jonah Bride is 29 years old and has not particularly proven to be a consistent batter at any point with low career splits. Additionally when it comes to a return package, the Marlins have quite a few quality prospects they could offer to the Tigers for Torkelson to make things interesting.
When it comes down to it, a Torkelson trade is somewhat unlikely at the moment, but looking towards the future if things do not clear up at first base for him, it would end up making sense in the long-run for Detroit to see what they may be able to get in return.
Jeremy Trottier started his writing journey with WBLZ Media, and has worked through multiple publications with 247Sports, USA Today, Fansided, SBNation and others. He is an avid fan of motorsports and most sports in general, and has completed a degree in sports management to further understand the sports industry. During his time with sports media, he has been credentialed for coverage of Boston College sports, and can often be found attending their football and basketball games as well as expected coverage of their men’s soccer team in the near future. Sports are a large part of his life and career, as he looks to pursue a full time role within the industry someday.