Tigers former first overall draft pick gets another crack at the big leagues

Second chances are never a given in Major League Baseball. But it certainly helps if you were a first-overall pick in the MLB Draft.

The Detroit Tigers got comfortable picking at the top of the draft for most of the past decade, but their picks haven't always been home runs. They appear to have hit on Riley Greene in 2019, but most of their other top picks are either outright disappointments or still up in the air.

But the Tigers' most important draft pick of the past decade came in 2020, when they had the chance to select first for the second time in three years. They took power-hitting first baseman Spencer Torkelson, and that hasn't panned out to this point.

Having spent most of this season in Triple-A, Torkelson's 2024 has been a massive disappointment so far. But fortunately, there are still six weeks left in the season, and Torkelson is about to get his shot at redemption.

According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers recalled Torkelson on Saturday before Detroit's matchup with the New York Yankees. The team had already optioned fellow first baseman Bligh Madris to Triple-A on Friday.

Torkelson, 24, took a big step back between 2023 and 2024. After 31 home runs and 94 RBIs a season ago, Torkelson lost his power stroke completely. He had a dismal .597 OPS with Detroit this season with just four home runs before he was optioned on June 2.

The Tigers never wanted to option Torkelson in the first place, but he was so lost at the plate that Detroit had almost no choice.

The stats improved in Triple-A, where Torkelson had 11 home runs and a .798 OPS. But he still struck out at over a 30% rate, an issue the Tigers hope won't plague Torkelson his entire career.

With 39 games left to play, Torkelson now has a limited window to prove he can still factor into the Tigers' future plans. Few players will have more incentive to perform in the Motor City than Torkelson in the month of September.

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