Detroit Tigers Swap Out 'Spencers' with Atlanta Braves In 2020 MLB Redraft
The Detroit Tigers went with a promising slugger at the top of the 2020 MLB draft, but would likely go in a different direction if given another option today.
Baseball America recently went through the first round of that draft and created a re-draft with how they think each team would pick given the context of the last few years.
Originally, the Tigers went with Spencer Torkelson with the No. 1 overall selection from the Arizona State Sun Devils. He has been intriguing at times, but would likely not be the choice if they had to make it today.
In the re-draft, they went with Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider, who has become one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Back in 2020, he was the fourth round selection by the Braves. That has turned out to be a complete steal.
Strider was in MLB by the end of the 2021 season and hit the ground running with his first full campaign back in 2022.
He posted 2.67 ERA over 186.1 innings and really set the stage for his All-Star campaign the year after.
The 26-year-old is one of the best pitchers in MLB at striking batters out. He led the entire league in strikeouts in 2023 with 281.
The former Clemson Tigers pitcher has the combination of elite velocity and a changeup that is 10 MPH slower. His best pitch, though, is his slider.
Luckily for Detroit, they have found an ace of their own in Tarik Skubal, but imagine a world where he was in a one-two punch with Strider.
It would be one of the best and brightest rotations in all of baseball to go along with a burgeoning offense.
Strider did miss most of last season with an injury, but should still be considered near the top of the position when he returns.
They instead ended up with Torkelson, who has already lost his job at first base.
The 25-year-old has had an up-and-down start to his professional career, and he is currently way down.
He showed some real promise at the plate again when he hit 31 home runs in 2023. Those numbers dropped majorly this year and even ended up in him being sent down to the minors again for a long stretch.
In the 92 MLB games he played, he posted just a .219/.295/.374 slash line with 10 home runs.
The Tigers, obviously not feeling comfortable with Torkelson's production, gave the spot in the lineup to Colt Keith after signing Gleyber Torres to play second.
One player is at the height of the game when healthy, while the other is fighting for at-bats.
