Detroit Tigers: Jackson Jobe could sneak up into the top three picks

The Detroit Tigers have the third overall draft choice in the 2021 MLB First-Year Amateur Player Draft. While we are just days away from the draft taking place, there are always some last-minute changes and shuffling of the draft rankings.

Not to say that the draft rankings are changing, but high-school arm Jackson Jobe could possibly sneak up to that third overall draft pick and be selected by the Detroit Tigers. Jobe was not projected as the third overall pick, but with a cluster of good talent at the top, things could very well change.

If Jack Leiter goes first or second overall and the Tigers organization wants to avoid taking a prep shortstop at three, they may very well select Jobe. The high-schooler from Oklahoma has a lot to like; the question is if it is right for the Tigers at three.

I think shying away from a high-school arm is the best move, but as the draft inches closer and closer, it seems like Jobe very well is in the conversation of being selected by the Tigers. My preference remains Leiter (if he’s there), followed by Marcelo Mayer (who the team has been tied to liking) or Henry Davis (an outlier who climbed draft rankings).

The Detroit Tigers could realistically select pitcher Jackson Jobe with the third overall pick.

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Since Jobe is someone the Tigers are likely to have on their radar, let’s take a better look at the right-handed pitcher.

Jobe hails from Oklahoma, where he played his high-school ball for Heritage Hall and capped things off with a state championship to close out his senior season. The righty has electric stuff and is a phenomenal draft prospect.

He’s the best prep arm on the draft board and is going to be the first high-school arm that gets selected in this summer’s draft. Jobe is 6-foot-2 and weighs in at 190-pounds. On the bump, his primary pitches are a fastball/slider/changeup combination that is deadly against the opposition.

Jobe works 92-94 mph on his fastball and has been up to 96 mph according to MLB dot com and features a slider in the low-80s. The report goes on to say that Jobe also features a change-up that shows some fade and can drop in a breaking ball.

After watching some videos, it’s clear that Jobe has quick arm action and clean delivery. He pounds the zone with the fastball that overpowers hitters. He drops in a high-spin-breaking ball that devastates the opposition; needless to say; it’s gross. The tight movement that can create some late tilt to it is incredibly problematic and leads to whiffs for the right-hander.

His ability to offer a three-pitch mix is crucial. Besides the high-velocity fastball and wipeout slider, he can throw a changeup for strikes with some fade to it. Jobe has the looks of a high draft prospect, and the question really is, how high can he go?

The Tigers definitely will have their homework done on Jobe when the draft rolls around; the question is if he is more enticing than the other prospects available after the first two come off the board.

He’s a very realistic option for the third overall pick; I still prefer the other options mentioned early on.