Tigers must do whatever it takes to fast-track Jackson Jobe to MLB roster

Detroit Tigers top pitching prospect Jackson Jobe had a spring training debut to remember on Tuesday. He pitched the ninth inning and absolutely dominated, striking out a pair and ecplising 100 mph on the radar gun multiple times. It's possible that there has never been this much hype for a spring training appearance for any Tigers player, let alone a prospect. And it's for a good reason.

Jobe flashed all of his talent, and he has a ton of it. Not only was throwing gas that nobody knew he had, but his secondaries were just unreal. The changeup has made so much progress since he was drafted. It might be on par with his slider now.

Then he throws a 95 mph cutter now. Like...come one. That's just not fair. We are not worthy of such disgusting stuff.

Here's the real question: considering his immense talent and nasty stuff, how can they possibly have him start in Double-A? Sure, he's not a finishing product. He could stand to improve his fastball command a bit more, and could still use some further refinement in general. But if he's healthy, why waste everyone's time — including and especially Jobe's — with really, any time in the minor leagues? He's just going to toy with Double-A and Triple-A hitters. They aren't going to be able to offer him much of a challenge.

Here's what the Tigers should do: they should take a similar approach to what the White Sox did with Chris Sale back in the early 2010s. They should take him north with the team and have him pitch out of the bullpen the entire season. Not only could they limit his innings this way, but you would have the most talented pitcher in the organization on the team. He could develop this year, and then they could stretch him back into a starter next year and slot him into the rotation in 2025.

Now, this isn't exactly what the White Sox did with Sale. He came up and pitched out of the bullpen shortly after he was drafted. Jobe has pitched in the minors for about a season and a half. But the overall goal is the same: throw him into the fire, develop on the fly, get him some experience, limit his innings, and get him stretched out next offseason and next spring to have him ready for 2025.

Do I expect the Tigers to do this? Absolutely not. They're going to have him start the year in Double-A. They want that extra year of club control and that chance to get the extra pick for rookie of the year in 2025. But he only has to be in the minors for about six weeks to get that extra year of control. Once that's up, if he's healthy, there's no reason for him to be in the minors any longer than he has to. He's the most talented pitcher in the organization. Period. You can't waste him like that. He needs to get time in the majors in 2024.

If the Tigers are a serious organization, Jackson Jobe will be in the big leagues shortly after Memorial Day, again, provided that he's healthy. There's clearly something special here. At this point, you don't have your best team on the field is Jackson Jobe isn't on it.