Detroit Tigers Minor League report: Jackson Jobe arrives

Lakeland Flying Tigers (2-7) – 5th in Florida State League West

The Flying Tigers went just 1-5 last week, but it’s hard to care too much about records, because this might be the most talented and interesting Low-A roster the franchise has fielded in years. So, we’ll ignore the game results and start at the end, with Jackson Jobe’s Sunday outing:

Jobe very much looked like a thrower rather than a pitcher, and for all the talk about his elite stuff, batters didn’t seem to have much trouble with it. That said, his pitch data remains spectacular, and he’s a 19-year-old who touches 97 MPH with his fastball, show solid feel for an upper-80s changeup, and owns a slider that would top Major League Baseball in terms of spin. He may need more time to develop than some had hoped, but the frontline starter potential is still pretty obvious.

There were plenty of other fun firsts for Lakeland last week. We saw the professional debut of Detroit’s 2021 9th-round pick Garrett Burhenn (4IP, 6H, ER, BB, 5K), and the first Low-A home runs from Izaac Pacheco, Manuel Sequera, and Cristian Santana. The shots from Pacheco and Sequera were both impressive, but Santana’s went into orbit and may have traveled 440 feet or more.

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1514035091533672454?s=20&t=MIEAM15eJgt6nZ4mCCWjNg

Last week also gave fans rehab stints from Derek Hill, Alex Faedo (3.2IP, 4H, 3ER, BB, 5K), and Wilkel Hernandez (2.2 IP, 5H, 3ER, 3BB, 3K), as well as a strong offensive performance from 20-year-old outfielder Jose De La Cruz (5-for-16, 2HR, 2B, 6RBI) .

The Flying Tigers return home this week for six games against Palm Beach Cardinals.