Spencer Torkelson

Spencer Enochs Torkelson (born August 26, 1999) is an American baseball first baseman and third baseman in the Detroit Tigers organization. Torkelson was selected first overall by the Tigers in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[1]

Spencer Torkelson
Torkelson with Arizona State in 2019
Detroit Tigers
First baseman / Third baseman
Born: (1999-08-26) August 26, 1999
Petaluma, California
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Career

Torkelson attended Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, California, where he played baseball, football and basketball.[2] During his high school baseball career, he hit .430 with 11 home runs and 99 runs batted in (RBI). He committed to Arizona State to play college baseball.[3]

As a freshman at Arizona State, Torkelson batted .320/.440/.743 with 25 home runs and 53 RBIs over 55 games. The 25 home runs led the nation, set a Pac-12 record for home runs by a freshman, and also broke Barry Bonds' school record for home runs by a freshman.[4][5][6] He was named the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman of the Year, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association National Freshman Hitter of the Year and the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.[7][8] After the season, he played for the United States collegiate national team.[9] As a sophomore, Torkelson joined Bob Horner as the only Arizona State players to hit 20 home runs for consecutive seasons.[10] In 2019, Baseball America ranked Torkelson as the No. 1 college prospect in the 2020 draft.[11] After the 2018 and 2019 seasons, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[12][13] As a junior, Torkelson hit six home runs in a COVID-19 shortened season, giving him 53 for his ASU career, just three shy of ASU's career record.[14]

Torkelson was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the first overall pick in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[1] On June 30, 2020, he signed with the Tigers for $8,416,300, the highest signing bonus awarded in MLB draft history. The same day, he was added to the Tigers' 60-man player pool.[15]

References
  1. Beck, Jason (June 11, 2020). "No. 1 pick Torkelson's got the power, will to win". MLB.com. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  2. Benefield, Kerry (July 25, 2016). "Benefield: Casa Grande star adding basketball to sports resume". The Press Democrat. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  3. Jackson, John (November 16, 2016). "Casa infielders Torkelson, Smith choose colleges". Petaluma Argus-Courier. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  4. "ASU slugger Spencer Torkelson is ready for encore after record-setting freshman season". AZFamily. February 27, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  5. Jacquez, Joe (May 5, 2018). "Spencer Torkelson sets new Pac-12 freshman home run record". The State Press. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  6. "Torkelson breaks Bonds' record". Petaluma Argus-Courier. March 30, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  7. Metcalfe, Jeff (May 31, 2018). "ASU's Spencer Torkelson named Pac-12 baseball Freshman of the Year". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  8. "Early raves for ASU's Torkelson". Petaluma Argus-Courier. January 23, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  9. "Spencer Torkelson Named to USA Baseball Collegiate National Team". USA Baseball. April 27, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  10. Metcalfe, Jeff (May 17, 2019). "Cal baseball edges No. 25 ASU, series finale cancelled". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  11. Hippel, Hunter (August 6, 2019). "Baseball America ranks ASU's Torkelson as college's best 2020 prospect". Arizona Sports 98.7FM.
  12. "#20 Spencer Torkelson". Pointstreak. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  13. "Spencer Torkelson". Pointstreak. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  14. Nightengale, Bob (March 23, 2020). "At Arizona State, a dream season shattered and uncertainty for potential No. 1 MLB pick Spencer Torkelson". USA Today. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  15. Beck, Jason (June 30, 2020). "Tigers, top pick Torkelson agree to deal". MLB.com. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
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