Detroit Tigers Star Prospect Could Be Playoff Weapon
The Detroit Tigers overcame huge odds to earn an AL Wild Card spot in a year when they didn't even have a winning record at the trade deadline. Now, they're preparing for October. Stars like Tarik Skubal and Riley Greene will be important for their success, but there is always a playoff breakout player. In this case, CBS Sports is predicting that it will be their top prospect, Jackson Jobe.
Jobe is currently the top pitching prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He was recently called up for his much anticipated debut and threw a great inning out of the bullpen.
While he did throw a scoreless inning of relief, it's the only action he's gotten so far. So why is he considered a breakout?
"He'll be pitching out of the bullpen the rest of the way this year, but rest assured that his future is in the rotation. In two games at the Triple-A level, he showcased an arsenal that included, among other offerings, a 96.5 mph fastball that featured more than 17 inches of induced vertical break. Jobe tallied a 2.36 ERA and notched more than a strikeout per inning pitched across his 21 minor-league appearances this season," writes R.J. Anderson.
The 22-year-old has a real chance to be a huge weapon out of the bullpen this postseason. Even if he is just going to pitch out of the pen, as a starter, he could throw multiple innings if needed. When he doesn't, he can let his great arsenal loose.
Jobe, who has less than 300 career innings, has maybe the best stuff among pitching prospects. On the 20-80 scouting scale, with 50 being average, he has three pitches of 60 or better, which is above average.
His 60-grade changeup is the lowest rated pitch of the three, but is still a plus offering. He sits at 96-97 mph on the fastball, which isn't even his best pitch. That would be his slider, which is considered "plus-plus" and is one of the best offspeed pitches in the minors.
Take all of that together, and it's a dangerous recipe in one inning of work in the playoffs. He believes in his stuff, and as long as he can pitch to his potential, Detroit could find multiple ways to use him.
The worry would be that he is inexperienced and the playoffs are different than the regular season. While true, talent always breaks through. If the Tigers want to make a deep run, Jobe will need to be a part of that.
