2024 is shaping up to be another lost season for the Detroit Tigers. They are on track to miss the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, but it's clear that the Tigers have a few foundational pieces whom they hope would eventually lead the team back to the postseason. One of those pieces that the Tigers have such high hopes for is Jace Jung, whom they are calling up to the big-league roster ahead of their three-game series against the New York Yankees, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
Jung is an infield prospect who mostly plays third base, and he has been performing well for the Toledo Mud Hens, the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate. In 415 plate appearances this season, Jung has hit 14 home runs and driven in 60 runs on a rock-solid slash line of .257/.377/.454 — with his plate discipline and batting eye drawing rave reviews from talent evaluators. He is currently ranked as the fifth-best prospect in the Tigers system, per MLB.com.
The Tigers are embracing the youth movement now that their playoff hopes are dwindling. In addition to calling up Jace Jung, Detroit is also giving Trey Sweeney, the prospect they acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Jack Flaherty trade, the nod at shortstop, calling him up on the same day as Jung.
Jung was selected by the Tigers with the 12th overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft after a successful stint at Texas Tech. A left-handed hitter with an unconventional stance at the plate, Jung is projected to have plus-power production regardless of his long-term defensive home. There are a few concerns from scouts regarding his range at second base, which could lead to the hot corner being his position for the long haul.
Can the Tigers break out of their cycle of mediocrity?
The Tigers are showing signs of life amid their continued rebuild. Last season, they finished 78-84, a respectable record, but in 2024, they have not progressed as well as they would hope, as they are on pace to finish the season with the same number of wins considering their current winning percentage.
There have been a few disappointments for the Tigers as well this season. Spencer Torkelson, the first overall selection in 2020, struggled to the point of a demotion back to Triple-A. Torkelson remains in Triple-A at the moment as he looks to recover the luster he has lost with his lack of consistency brought forth by his inordinately huge strikeout rate.
Nonetheless, the Tigers will be hoping that they can have a solid infield core for years to come. In addition to Jung and Sweeney, Detroit is looking at Colt Keith as a potential long-term piece at the keystone. Keith has a ton of work left to do to become a positive contributor at the plate, but he's only 23 years of age — the same age as Jung and a year younger than Sweeney.
Barring an unforeseen turn of events, Jung and Sweeney should fill the bulk of the innings for the Tigers on the left side of the infield for the rest of 2024. Detroit is currently starting Andy Ibanez at third base and Javier Baez at shortstop — not exactly huge roadblocks. Ibanez has been solid enough, but he's 31, so he should not be seen as the long-term option at the position. Meanwhile, Baez hasn't righted the ship at all in 2024, as he has been one of the worst-performing players at the plate this season.
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