Spencer Torkelson’s birth announcement proclaimed him to be the “Rookie of the Year.”
When he turned 1, his birthday card referred to him as “Daddy’s Little Slugger.”
And that’s what he became at Arizona State, a power-hitting first baseman who has emerged as the top prospect in Wednesday's MLB draft.
Unless something stunning happens, the Detroit Tigers are expected to select Torkelson with the first overall pick, which makes perfect sense. He has the potential to fill a glaring organizational need. The Tigers have loaded up with pitching prospects in recent years but don’t have a viable power-hitting first baseman in their minor league system.