Tigers send rookie 1B Torkelson back to Triple-A

The Detroit Tigers introduced to reporters Sunday that rookie first baseman Spencer Torkelson has been optioned to Triple-A Toledo. 

The demotion proceeds a pattern of disappointment for Torkelson in 2022. He cracked the Opening Working day roster for Detroit, but months of wrestle adopted. In 83 game titles for the Tigers this time, Torkelson has batted .197/.282/.295 (68 OPS+) with just 5 residence runs. He is also struck out in 25.5 p.c of his plate appearances, which is even worse than the league-regular figure of 22.3 per cent. Maybe additional about is that Torkelson only is not driving the ball with any authority. Appropriate now, he ranks in the 39th percentile in tough-strike fee and the 19th percentile in predicted slugging percentage. 

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The 22-year-aged came into the 12 months as one particular of the major prospects in baseball. Prior to the time, our very own R.J. Anderson rated Torkelson as the No. 8 all round prospect in baseball — a bit lower than most stores experienced him. Anderson wrote at the time: 

“Torkelson, the No. 1 pick in 2020, soared all the way to Triple-A in his first qualified period. Total, he performed as you would be expecting someone with cleanup-hitter aspirations to: batting .267/.383/.552 with 30 property operates and a 14.5 % walk charge. He is usually been as opposed to Andrew Vaughn of the White Sox because of their equivalent profiles: each has significant uncooked toughness and a sense for hitting, as nicely as the intelligence to make changes as needed. (Vaughn, for his section, had a disappointing rookie campaign in 2021.) The Tigers introduced Torkelson as a third baseman on draft day, and they have continued to crosstrain him at the two corner-infield positions. Scouts nonetheless hope him to close up at initially foundation, nevertheless. With the Tigers gearing up to compete in 2022, odds are Torkelson will debut early in the period.”

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It can be of program much way too quickly to give up on Torkelson or begin considering of him as a bust applicant. Nevertheless, the Tigers have established that even more growth is in buy, and that didn’t look to be the situation mere months ago.