Top Pitching Prospect Could Be Difference Maker for Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers wrapped up an excellent week of baseball in which they went 5-1 with a sweep over the Kansas City Royals and another series win against the Baltimore Orioles.
With the strong week, the Tigers find themselves with a one-game lead for one of the final spots in the American League Wild Card race, and the franchise is ready to try and make some noise in th final week of the season and into the postseason.
Detroit has made the decision to bring up their top prospect and arguably the best pitching prospect in baseball in Jackson Jobe.
Jobe is joining the hunt.
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 23, 2024
The Tigers will select the contract of RHP Jackson Jobe to the Major League roster prior to the upcoming series against Tampa Bay. pic.twitter.com/REDkpIYIV7
This year, Jobe has pitched at three different levels of the minor leagues, and he had a really strong season. In the minors, Jobe pitched 91.2 innings, had a 2.36 ERA, and struckout 96 batters.
While the young prospect has been a starter this campaign in the minors, he is going to be utilized out of the bullpen for the Tigers in the stretch run, and will be available against the Tampa Bay Rays starting on Tuesday.
This is a very exciting time for Detroit, as the young right-hander was the third overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. Jobe has done all the right things in the minors to have earned a chance to come up and this will be an excellent learning experience for him.
While making the playoffs and having success in the postseason is the immediate goal for the franchise, these are all learning moments as the team heads into uncharted territory.
For Jobe, getting meaningful innings at this time of year shows how much confidence that the organization has in him, as he will be thrown right into the playoff race.
While the young pitcher was called up late, he will be eligible to pitch in the playoffs if the Tigers make it. Detroit can use him as an injury replacement for a player who qualifies, and that would be for Sawyer Gipson-Long.
In the next six games and potentially into the playoffs, it will be interesting to see how manager A.J. Hinch decides to use his new weapon out of the bullpen. In the past, top prospects have come up late in the season and provided a spark for the team, like David Price did way back for the Rays.
Jobe is that type of talent, as he could provide the already strong pitching staff of the Tigers with another star.
NICK ZIEGLER