Detroit Tigers: Reese Olson is going to be a good one

Detroit Tigers should be excited about Reese Olson.

The Detroit Tigers should be excited about things moving forward regarding Reese Olson. The right-handed pitcher will wind up being a really exciting piece of the puzzle moving forward as he progresses along his development arc.

After all, this is his debut season with the Detroit Tigers organization after being called up from the minors. Olson was a standout in the minors but finally got his call-up during the 2023 season, and he has undoubtedly made the most of it to this point.

Olson has pitched in 13 games with ten starts, accumulating 60.2 innings pitched where he has pitched a 4.45 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He has also managed just 16 walks with 58 strikeouts to his credit during that time.

The right-handed pitcher may have had some streaky stints during the 2023 season, but Olson has settled into the big leagues well, really finding his step. The Tigers have to be excited about what Olson could be moving forward as he continues to settle into the big league rotation.

Olson offers a mostly four-pitch mix that is carried by his slider and fastball. The slider is his best off-speed pitch that works in the mid-80s with a spin that averages up above the 3,000 RPM range, which is pretty exceptional, to say the least.

But on top of the metrics, the pitch has served as a whiffle ball, holding opponents to a .187 batting average and a 42.8% whiff rate. Even further, he's managed a 23.6% PutAway rate, being able to use the pitch to finish off at-bats.

Olson's fastball is a blend of a four-seam and sinker, utilizing both to get the job done. The four-seam and sinker blends up around the mid-90s, averaging around 94-95 mph, usually. The four-seam spins above the 2,300 RPM range, and the sinker around the 2,100 RPM range has more of a movement profile that will induce some whiffs.

The sinker gets good horizontal and has that sink to it which can be problematic for opposing hitters. The four-seam can be a bit close to the dead zone area, but he gets separation that plays enough for him to mix it into the arsenal in the right spots.

The point is Olson's arsenal continues to allow him to attack hitters. While his numbers are not Cy Young level or pushing him toward a Rookie of the Year status, Olson has the makings to be a productive member of the Tigers' starting rotation.

Olson's someone that Tigers fans should be excited about watching. He should be someone that Tigers fans look forward to watching in due time as he continues to blossom into a role in the rotation.