The No. 1 Picks Everyone Gave Up On Are Carrying the Tigers to the Top of the AL Central

Spencer Torkelson and Casey Mize — the two former first overall picks Detroit’s fanbase left for dead — are playing the best baseball of their careers and have the Tigers sitting atop the AL Central as baseball’s most compelling story.

Remember when Spencer Torkelson couldn’t catch up to a fastball? When Casey Mize looked like another Tigers draft pick destined for the “what could have been” pile? Yeah, about that.

The Tigers are the hottest team in baseball right now, and the reason is almost too poetic: the two No. 1 overall picks this organization — and honestly, the entire fanbase — had written off are absolutely tearing the cover off the ball.

Torkelson Is Finally THAT Guy

Let’s start with Torkelson, who had to prove himself in spring training just to make the roster. The organization gave up on him. Fans gave up on him. Nobody’s giving up on him now.

Through 12 games: .311 average, 14 hits, seven RBIs, seven walks. He ranks 10th in the American League in WAR, on-base percentage, slugging, AND OPS. Tied for second in doubles. This is the right-handed power bat Detroit fans were begging the front office to go get — and he was already on the roster.

Three things look completely different. The stance is more athletic — back to those Arizona State days when he broke Barry Bonds’ freshman home run record. The confidence is back. High heat that was blowing right by him last year? He’s driving it to right field now. And maybe most importantly, he looks comfortable out there. Smile on his face. Actually enjoying himself.

Last season when the Tigers made their run, Torkelson was grinding in Triple-A. He put in the work all offseason, raked in spring training, and now he’s doing it where it matters most — proving every doubter wrong.

Casey Mize Has His Splitter Back

On the pitching side, Mize looks like the guy scouts were losing their minds over coming out of Auburn. Sub-1.00 ERA. A 0.77, to be exact. Five hits allowed in 11.2 innings. Twelve strikeouts — his highest K/9 rate since his rookie season.

The splitter is filthy again, and here’s why: his fastball velocity is back up. He’s getting strikes at the top of the zone, which sets up that devastating splitter down. Against lefties in big spots, he’s going to that pitch and it’s falling right out of their swings. Situations where old Mize would give up a run or two? He’s escaping clean.

This Team Is Built to Win the AL Central

Stack Torkelson and Mize’s resurgence on top of everything else clicking. Jack Flaherty looks like a legitimate AL Cy Young contender — 11 innings, one earned run, 16 strikeouts in his last two starts. Zack McKinstry hit .371 during the homestand with position versatility that lets AJ Hinch do whatever he wants. Kerry Carpenter already has two homers against lefties this season. He had ONE all of last year.

Yeah, there’s some concern. Colt Keith looks uncomfortable after the position shuffle and has made a couple costly errors. Riley Green went 1-for-12 against the Yankees. But those guys will figure it out.

The story right now is simple: the Tigers are the class of the AL Central, and the two guys everyone counted out are the biggest reasons why. This isn’t just a feel-good redemption arc — this is a team that’s a legitimate threat to make a World Series run.

Minnesota’s up next. Time to take care of business against a spiraling division rival.

The Takeaways

• Torkelson ranks top-10 in the AL in WAR, OBP, slugging, and OPS — the power bat Detroit already had
• Mize’s 0.77 ERA and revived splitter make him look like a top-10 AL pitcher right now
• Flaherty is a legit Cy Young contender and the Tigers might have baseball’s best rotation

Watch the full segment on YouTube: Detroit Tigers ARE THE #1 STORY in Baseball!