If you were surprised when the Tigers drafted Jackson Jobe third overall Sunday night, bypassing shortstop and presumptive No. 1 pick Marcelo Mayer in the process ... so was Jackson Jobe.
"I was just as surprised as everybody else," he said. "It's been a long few days trying to figure out where I was going to land. The second they called my name is when I knew."
Jobe, 18, is said to have the highest ceiling of any pitcher in the draft. He's also a long way from the majors -- assuming he gets there -- at a position where the Tigers aren't exactly lacking young talent. That's why Mayer felt like the obvious pick for Detroit when he was on the board at No. 3.
Jobe was the no-brainer instead.
"For us, it was a pretty easy pick because we always end up taking the best player on the board with the best ability and the most upside," said Tigers director of amateur scouting Scott Pleis. "So it was an easy get for us. Jackson’s a special talent and a great makeup kid. Plus tools across the board."
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You could say the same about Mayer, who could've filled Detroit's long-term need at the most important position on the field. He went fourth overall to the Red Sox. But Pleis said the Tigers were more impressed with Jobe, who throws a wicked slider and boasts the athleticism to rise quickly through the minors.
"The total package," said Pleis. "He’s an athlete, he already has four plus pitches, life to his pitches, command of his pitches. When you add it all up, I probably can count on one hand how many times I've seen a high school pitcher with his advanced ability at this point."
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For reference, the Tigers drafted then-high schooler Matt Manning ninth overall in 2016. He made his big-league debut last month. But Manning's track to the majors was slowed by a pandemic-shortened season. Assuming good health, Jobe could be in Detroit by 2024.
Pleis said the inherent risk in drafting high school pitchers wasn't going to stop the Tigers from getting their guy.
"We’ve had success with young arms in the past," he said. "We’ve been through it. There’s risk with everybody, but we have an idea how to handle them and we do our best to make sure we develop them the correct way.
"It would be a shame to run away from the best talent because maybe you’re afraid that he might get hurt. As we know, in all sports, there’s always a risk, but his talent outweighed that risk for us, for sure."