Tigers Option Former No. 1 Pick Spencer Torkelson to Triple-A

The first baseman, selected No. 1 overall in the 2020 MLB draft, heads to the Toledo Mud Hens for more seasoning.

While top baseball prospects hope to hear their name called later today during the 2022 MLB draft, the top draftee from two years prior is moving in reverse.

Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft out of Arizona State, was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, the club announced.

It’s been a rough first half for both Torkelson and the Tigers. The 22-year-old Torkelson is batting .197/.282/.296 with five home runs and 21 RBIs for Detroit, which lost eight of its last nine games to skid into the All-Star break at 37–55.

“He’s handled it like he’s handled everything so far, with confidence, with understanding, and appreciation for the direct communication,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said, per MLive.com. “I told Tork it could be 10 days, it could be two weeks, it could be a month. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to get him back to feeling good.”

Last season, in 121 total games across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A, Torkelson batted .267/.383/.552 with 30 homers and 91 RBIs. The 6’1”, 220-pounder was the first college position player to be drafted No. 1 overall after going undrafted out of high school since Darin Erstad in 1995.

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