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Detroit Tigers Option Disappointing Slugger To Triple-A, Promote Top Prospect

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The Detroit Tigers will option first baseman Spencer Torkelson to Triple-A on Monday, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. The slugger has struggled mightily this season and appeared in just one game this weekend. With the writing on the wall, the Tigers appear ready to do the inevitable and option Torkelson to work on his game.

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In a corresponding move, Detroit will call up outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy , per Petzold. The Tigers close the weekend one game below .500 and in fourth place in the competitive American League Central. The team is clearly trying to jumpstart the offense in hopes of supporting a great pitching staff . If this works, Detroit realistically could enter July right in the thick of postseason contention.

Malloy will take Torkelson’s place on the active roster, but Detroit will have to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to make room for him. That move will likely get announced on Monday.

Detroit Tigers Option Spencer Torkelson, Promote Justyn-Henry Malloy

Detroit drafted Torkelson with the first overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft. Many expected the Arizona State product to rise quickly through the minors and impact games with a big power bat. Torkelson proved many right by making his debut less than two years later. However, he also proved them wrong by struggling to hit in the majors.

For his career, Torkelson has hit .218/.296/.386 (90 OPS+) with 43 homers in 1,318 plate appearances. Despite his promise, the 24-year-old’s struggles have heightened this year. Before the Tigers optioned him, Torkelson hit .201/.266/.330 (69 OPS+) with four homers and weak contact rates.

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That said, the righty looked like he finally established himself last season. He mashed 31 bombs and hit .233/.313/.446 (105 OPS+) in 684 plate appearances. He also produced great quality contact rates and a low Chase rate, indicating that his production was legitimate, not fluky.

With all of this information, many evaluators logically expected Torkelson to take his game to a new level in 2024. It looked like he matured as a hitter last season and he seemed closer to becoming a hitter with good power and on-base ability.

Unfortunately, that clearly has not happened, and the Tigers optioning Torkelson to Triple-A seems like the right move. The season and the hitter are both still young, so there’s plenty of time for him to get right and help the Tigers earn a playoff spot.

Justyn-Henry Malloy

Malloy will likely make his MLB debut on Monday against the Texas Rangers. Detroit acquired the Georgia Tech product in a December 2022 trade that sent Joe Jimenez to the Atlanta Braves. Malloy was a third baseman at the time of the deal, but he entered the 2024 season expecting to be a full-time corner outfielder.

Multiple outlets, like Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, rank Malloy as Detroit’s sixth-best prospect. Outlets also agree that his bat is by far his best tool. In 838 career Triple-A plate appearances, the righty has hit .272/.417/.474 with a great approach at the plate.

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He uses a good eye to walk and access his moderate power with great swing decisions. He’ll swing at pitches he can drive for extra-base hits and lay-off ones, resulting in weak contact.

The Tigers’ young offensive group has not performed well this season. While Malloy is just 24, he seems to bring a mature approach to a Detroit lineup that could use some life.

Main Photo Credits: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The post Detroit Tigers Option Disappointing Slugger To Triple-A, Promote Top Prospect appeared first on Last Word On Baseball .