As they approach the big leagues, Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson continue to wow talent evaluators across baseball.
It won't be long before they're wowing fans in Detroit.
In Baseball America's top 100 prospects for 2022, released Wednesday, Greene and Torkelson both jumped two spots from the 2021 midseason rankings up to No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.
19-year-old pitcher Jackson Jobe, drafted third overall by the Tigers last July, also jumped from No. 96 to No. 79.
There's a chance that both Greene and Torkelson could break camp with the Tigers this spring. The duo finished last season in Triple-A Toledo, where the 21-year-old Greene posted a .953 OPS and the 22-year-old Torkelson posted an .881 OPS. They combined for 40 extra-base hits in 40 games each.
"Greene has rocketed up the minors since the Tigers selected him fifth overall in the 2019 draft," says Baseball Amerca. "With a sweet, powerful lefthanded swing, he projects to be an offensive force in the middle of the Tigers lineup and an All-Star regardless of whether he ends up in center field or a corner."
Torkelson, the first overall pick in 2020, climbed from Single-A to Triple-A last season, hitting 30 home runs in his first year as a pro.
"His patience at the plate and enormous power have him set to be a middle-of-the-order force in the Tigers lineup for years to come," says Baseball America.
At the end of last season, A.J. Hinch said the Tigers will give Greene and Torkelson every chance to make the 2022 Opening Day roster out of spring training.
"Performance matters," said Hinch. "There isn't free playing time. We're going to apply as much pressure on everybody, including ourselves, on when to make this decision ... I'm curious how they're going to respond next February when we get to camp and now all eyes are on them, and it's big drama, and you guys are asking about them a lot. I love that. I love the pressure on these guys. And then we'll see where it takes us, but everything's going to matter."
