Top 5 Detroit Tigers Hitters and Pitchers To Watch During Spring Training
The Detroit Tigers are one of the American League's most interesting teams coming off a playoff berth in 2024.
They have a two-year window before reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal can test the market as a free agent. That puts the team in win-now mode while simultaneously having some young difference makers who could make an impact as soon as this year.
The Tigers will face the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, Feb. 22 to kick off their spring games.
On the eve of that contest, here are five players to watch this spring.
Starting Pitcher, Jackson Jobe
Detroit selected Jobe with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft. He joined the big club late last year, appearing in two games in the regular season and two more in the playoffs.
It's impossible to take anything away from a four-game sample, but Jobe has best-pitcher-in-baseball caliber stuff.
He'll turn 23 years old in late July, giving him plenty of time to become a top-of-the-rotation pitcher for the Tigers. There is no guarantee he'll make the Opening Day rotation, but if he does he's an American League Rookie of the Year contender.
If Jobe has a big spring, he can put Detroit in a position where they have to open the season with him on the Big League roster which would be one of the best-case scenarios for the Tigers.
Second Baseman, Gleyber Torres
Torres turned 28 years old in December after spending seven seasons with the New York Yankees. He's coming off a down 2024 campaign, but he has had some pretty monster years at the plate.
Over those seven campaigns with the Yankees, he hit at least 24 home runs four times.
If Torres can return to that standard of production, he'll be a huge offseason addition in his first year in Detroit.
First Baseman, Spencer Torkelson
The Tigers selected Torkelson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft. He showed some promise in 2023, hitting 31 home runs. Otherwise, he's been a disappointment to date, posting a minus-0.3 bWAR over his three-year Big League career.
He'll turn 26 in August, so there is still time for him to produce like a former first overall pick. However, as things stand today, he's looking at a platoon with Colt Keith at first, and even that isn't a guarantee.
Detroit would love nothing more than seeing their once blue-chip prospect finally meet expectations this spring.
If he doesn't, he's reaching the point where he could soon be a reclamation project for another team.
Relief Pitcher, Chase Lee
Lee is a 26-year-old side armer who was acquired from the Texas Rangers. He has not yet made his Major League debut, but he is coming off his most effective season in the minors.
Even if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster, he could contribute at some point in 2025.
Shortstop, Trey Sweeney
The Yankees selected Sweeney with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft. He was acquired as part of the Jack Flaherty deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer.
He only has 110 Big League at bats, all as a Tiger, where he slashed .218/.269/.373.
It's an understatement to say that Javier Baez has underachieved in Detroit, which has opened the door for Sweeney.
If the 24-year-old can come out with a strong spring, the Tigers could finally have the stability they thought they were getting with Baez at shortstop.
Recommended Articles
Ryan Reynolds has worked in sports media since 2019, where he’s primarily covered the NFL. He got his start writing for Evan Silva and Adam Levitan’s Establish the Run where Ryan became an authority on NFL awards markets. Ryan recently served as an Associate Director and content headliner for former NFL executives Joe Banner and Mike Tannenbaum at The 33rd Team. Ryan has also made multiple guest appearances on Fantasy Sports Radio on SiriusXM and VSiN. Outside of sports Ryan has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, graduating with honors from the University of Minnesota. He now has nearly a decade’s worth of experience in management. You can find Ryan on X @RyanReynoldsNFL or email him at RyanReynoldsNFL@gmail.com.