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Jackson Jobe
The Tigers’ decision to draft high-school right-hander Jackson Jobe over prep shortstop Marcelo Mayer was one of the most interesting — and depending on whom you ask, most puzzling — decisions of last year’s MLB Draft.
The Tigers, at the time, had their reasons for bucking industry trends. Data show high school right-handers are the most volatile of any position group. In a rebuild originally centered around pitching, the Tigers opted for the risky choice over the idea of a shortstop whom scouts heralded leading up to the draft. The Tigers, though, believed in Jobe’s talent, his high-spin slider and his command. They didn’t want to pass on a pitcher they believed was more advanced than Josh Beckett at a similar age.
They made their pick and sold it emphatically.
MLB Pipeline, meanwhile, has Mayer at No. 10 and Jobe at No. 25 in its updated rankings. Baseball America has Mayer at 14 and Jobe at 77. “We thought that he was by far the best talent, and you just don’t pass on guys like that,” Scott Pleis [Tigers’ director of amateur scouting] said. “There’s always a timeline. Society, sports, you want them today. But it’s gonna take some time, just like with any of these players.” - The Athletic
Best I could wo with him in the time I have this weekend. If he makes the bigs, I'll redo 'em when he gets a formal headshot.
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