The Tigers have made official what so many have expected to be the case over the past several months: Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson has been selected by Detroit with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Interestingly, the team announced him as a third baseman — where he played in high school but has not appeared in college. The slot value for the top pick checks in at $8.415MM.
Torkelson, still just 20 years of age, has wowed scouts with his power, plate discipline and feel for hitting throughout his career with the Sun Devils. A career .337/.463/.729 hitter with 54 home runs, 33 doubles and a 110-to-104 BB/K ratio in 628 college plate appearances, Torkelson was off to his best start yet when the NCAA halted play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through 17 games and 82 plate appearances in 2020, Torkelson had posted a ridiculous .340/.598/.780 slash with six homers and 31 walks against 15 punchouts.
Pre-draft rankings were in agreement that Torkelson and Vanderbilt third baseman/outfielder Austin Martin were the top two talents in this year’s draft. Most gave Torkelson the slight edge — he topped the rankings at Baseball America, ESPN, FanGraphs and MLB.com — although some peg Martin as the slightly better all-around prospect due to his superior defensive value.
There’s little arguing that the Tigers made any sort of misstep, though. Torkelson is widely regarded as a potentially fast-moving bat with off-the-charts power who could hit in the middle of a big league lineup for years to come. That’d be music to the ears for the Tigers and their fans, as the organization’s lengthy rebuild has resulted in a farm system that is deep in high-end pitching talent but has fewer bats on the fast track to the Majors. Right-handers Casey Mize (the No. 1 pick in 2018) and Matt Manning, coupled with southpaw Tarik Skubal, give the Tigers a trio of arms upon which to dream. That trio is backed by several other potential rotation pieces, including Alex Faedo, Beau Burrows and Franklin Perez.
Torkelson should immediately become the Tigers’ top position prospect — and one of the top position prospects in all of baseball for that matter. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen writes that the 20-year-old Torkelson possesses “sublime hitter’s timing, plus bat speed, and above-average barrel control and ball/strike recognition,” ultimately tabbing him as a future “thumping, heart of the order hitter.” ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel calls him the safest pick in the draft, pointing to his previous success with a wood bat in summer league play and calling Torkelson a potentially “above-average hitter with an above-average walk rate and 30+ homers.”
Torkelson is being advised by the Boras Corporation, but there’s no indication that a deal will be difficult to reach. In fact, Lynn Henning of the Detroit News suggested yesterday that the two sides are expected to come to terms on a deal in the vicinity of Torkelson’s slot value without a long, drawn-out negotiation process. Assuming that indeed pans out, the Tigers will suddenly find themselves with five of the top 60 prospects in baseball according to each of MLB.com, FanGraphs, Baseball America and The Athletic (joining the aforementioned pitchers and 2019 first-round outfielder Riley Greene).
It’s been an excruciating rebuild process for Tigers fans, but the team’s next core is coming into focus, and Torkelson should be squarely in the middle of the team’s resurgence.
Photo courtesy of Arizona State University Media Relations.
Hes a pretty good baseball player
he will get hits, and catch throws, I’ll tell ya that much
The Tigers should draft him.
Not that it matters but I would take Martin first everyday and twice on Sunday
Yeah we’ll see how good he has he got drafted fifth that tells me something
I don’t think getting drafted 5th suggests he’s any less of a player, I think it’s more telling of the kind of money Boras was asking for.
What does it tell you?
At least 4 GMs said you’re wrong, Cowboy.
4 of the greatest GMs in baseball piloting 4 of the best franchises
LOL Indeed.
And perhaps 26 GMs thought he was right ScottCFW
I don’t understand how anyone tries to make judgement on the draft when we see many top draft picks fail and many lower draft picks, in following rounds, succeed.
How well does power translate, especially in Comerica Park?
That is the question.
A little better than his lack of mobility and any defensive skill whatsoever will translate to being a 3B. Just like I’ve been saying; he’s Castellanos 2.0
Yep tigers will move to 3rd
He’ll be the minors for years learning a new position. And will leave the tigers as soon as possible. He’s a Bora’s client
I’ve read so much negative about a righty/righty first baseman going so high and it just seems silly. If there was a re-draft the year Pujols was drafted he’d be a slam dunk number 1.
Anecdotal evidence award goes to……
Thanks for bringing something to the conversation.
ASU! Go Devils! Bummer we didn’t get to see Tork play all those big conference games. Hopefully he gets to play with Miggy and learn a thing or two before he hangs them up.
Yeah and he would’ve broken Arizona State’s all time home run record.
That name will be the best rookie card ever
Al Avila thinks he has “the force”. He may be right:
Avila: “Spencer Torkelson is a 3rd baseman”
MLB Network: “Spencer Torkelson is a 3rd baseman”
ESPN: “Spencer Torkelson is a 3rd baseman”
You: “Spencer Torkelson is a 3rd baseman”
Avila will be gone before this kid makes the big club.
I hope and pray that you are correct. Al didn’t screw this up, but his next error is in his rearview mirror and gaining fast.
Another draft and position change not good for the kid
Obviously, he’ll be going up against tougher competition, but I believe his power will play well in the pros.
Spenny had to go #1. Tigers couldn’t pass on him. 1st base? 3rd base? Seems really silly to peg him one or the other. I’m reminded of Nick Castellanos who was a HS SS when drafted, went to 3rd, then LF…and it seemed to slow his offensive development.
I suspect Spenny will end up at 1st. It really is his quickest route to the majors. The Tigers really need one…even as 1B seems to be a position that can be filled adequately by FA’s.
The only other guy that intrigued me in the draft was Nick Gonzalez from New Mexico State. The Tigers would’ve been torched if they took him 1st, but still…that kid looks like a gamer. Sort of a Altuve-Kinsler-Pedroia, get your uniform dirty by the bottom of the 1st inning kinda guy. I’ll be watching him.
If they plan on moving him to third base, I would not be shocked to see him join the team this year.
If he’s a solid player, that’s all you can ask for. Everything else will be a bonus.