Tigers Add Slugger Torkelson With No. 1 Pick

Spencer Torkelson slugged his way through college, bashing baseballs all around the country with eye-popping power.

All those impressive drives made the decision easy for the Detroit Tigers, who selected the Arizona State star with the No. 1 pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft Wednesday night.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 25: An aerial view from a drone shows Comerica Park where the Detroit Tigers were scheduled to open the season on March 30th against the Kansas City Royals on March 25, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. Major League Baseball has delayed the season after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic on March 11th. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

But while Torkelson was long considered the favorite to go first overall, the surprise came when he was announced as a third baseman by Commissioner Rob Manfred. Detroit plans to move Torkelson to the hot corner from first base, where he played for the Sun Devils.

"It shows the amount of respect they have for me as an athlete," a smiling Torkelson said on the MLB Network broadcast. "I'll take it and run with it. I like to label myself as a baseball player, and you give me a bat, a ball and a glove, and you know what? I'm just going to want to win."

Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad went No. 2 to Baltimore, which took Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the top pick a year ago.

Omaha, NE - JUNE 27: Outfielder Heston Kjerstad #18 of the Arkansas Razorbacks runs in to make a catch in the second inning against the Oregon State Beavers during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 27, 2018 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

Shortened dramatically because of the coronavirus, the draft gave fans the closest thing they've had to a live big-league baseball event since spring training was stopped in March. It came as owners and players continue contentious labor negotiations aimed at starting an abbreviated, pandemic-delayed season this summer — likely with no crowds in ballparks.

Not long before the first pick, Manfred said there is a "100%" chance MLB will play ball this year.

After having the worst record in the majors last season, Detroit opened the draft for the second time in three years. The Tigers took Auburn right-hander Casey Mize in 2018, and now they've got a powerful bat that could anchor their lineup for years to go along with an arm they hope is a future ace.

LAKELAND, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Casey Mize #74 of the Detroit Tigers poses for a photo during the Tigers' photo day on February 20, 2020 at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

With power to all fields and a great eye at the plate, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Torkelson established himself as college baseball's top slugger after going undrafted out of high school. He hit 54 home runs at Arizona State, two shy of the school record set by Bob Horner — who was drafted No. 1 overall in 1978.

Torkelson likely would have obliterated that mark if his college season hadn't been halted after just 17 games because of the pandemic. The Petaluma, California, native hit .340 with six homers and 11 RBIs this year.

As the top overall pick, the slot value for his signing bonus is $8,415,300.

"We know he can play first. But our scouts strongly feel that he can play third base, and that's our intent at this point," Detroit general manager Al Avila said on the ESPN broadcast. "He's exactly the type of player we hoped would be there for us to get with the top pick. Obviously, he's one of the most productive hitters in college history."

DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 4: Al Avila makes a point during a news conference at Comerica Park after he was promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager on August 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Avila replaces Dave Dombrowski who was the Tigers' general manager since 2002. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

This year's draft originally was scheduled to take place for the first time in Omaha, Nebraska, as a lead-in to the College World Series. Instead, the COVID-19 outbreak caused MLB to make some drastic changes, including holding the draft remotely — much like the NFL did in April — and shaving it from three days with 40 rounds to only two days and five rounds.

Manfred announced the first-round selections as usual from a podium at MLB Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. He also addressed racial injustice and the recent protests that have occurred all over the country and the world.

Executives from all 30 teams held up signs at the beginning of the broadcast that read: "Black Lives Matter. United For Change."

The shortened — and in some cases even canceled — college and high school baseball seasons presented unique challenges for big-league scouting departments, which had to rely more on the video of prospects instead of attending games to help with their evaluations.

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: Stephen Scott #19 of the Vanderbilt Commodores catches a fly ball at the ball in the fifth inning against the Michigan Wolverines during game three of the College World Series Championship Series on June 26, 2019 at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

Perhaps that contributed to a record seven straight college players being selected to begin the draft.

After Torkelson and Kjerstad were picked, Miami took Minnesota right-hander Max Meyer; Kansas City selected Texas A&M lefty Asa Lacy; Toronto went with Vanderbilt shortstop Austin Martin; Seattle chose Georgia righty Emerson Hancock, and Pittsburgh picked New Mexico State shortstop Nick Gonzales.

Tennessee high school outfielder Robert Hassell ended the run on college players, going No. 8 to San Diego.

"We've seen the trend in this direction over the last number of years," Milwaukee scouting director Tod Johnson said after the Brewers took UCLA outfielder Garrett Mitchell at No. 20. "Those three years of development that players get when they go to college tell us a lot about them. It helps to make these decisions with more information. We have more of a statistical record for college players against quality competition.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Garrett Mitchell #5 of UCLA slides into third base during a baseball game against University of Washington at Jackie Robinson Stadium on May 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

"All those factors I think have trended toward moving toward a more college-heavy draft."

Florida high school outfielder Zac Veen was chosen by Colorado with the ninth pick, followed by the Los Angeles Angels selecting Louisville lefty Reid Detmers to round out the top 10.

Tampa Bay took Arizona State shortstop Alika Williams — a college teammate of Torkelson's — with the final pick of the first night at No. 37 overall.

Rounds 2-5 will be held Thursday, for a total of 160 players selected.

Torkelson became the fourth Arizona State player selected first overall, most of any school. He joined Horner, left-hander Floyd Bannister (1976), and outfielder Rick Monday, who was the top pick in baseball's inaugural June amateur draft in 1965.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 29: First base coach Don Kelly #15 and manager AJ Hinch #14 of the Houston Astros look on against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning in Game Six of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 29, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Houston will have to wait until pick No. 72 before it makes its first selection after being stripped of its first- and second-round selections by Manfred as part of the team's punishment for breaking rules against using electronics to steal signs during games.

Boston lost its second-round pick for violating rules against in-game use of video to identify pitch signals.

Undrafted players need to wait until Sunday before they can sign with major league teams, who can offer signing bonuses only up to $20,000 as agreed upon by Major League Baseball and the players' association.

© 2020 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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