LAKELAND, Fla. — Finally, the matchup we’ve all been waiting for.
Jackson Jobe vs. Izaac Pacheco.
They were becoming close friends leading up to the 2021 draft, then the Detroit Tigers picked Jobe at No. 3 overall and Pacheco at No. 39 overall. Now that they’re in the same organization, their relationship has blossomed. They are represented by the same agent, Scott Boras, and live together as roommates in a hotel suite in Lakeland.
But Jobe, a 19-year-old right-handed pitcher, and Pacheco, a 19-year-old shortstop, hadn’t faced each other — at least not until Monday morning in TigerTown as part of minor-league minicamp camp.
“Tell him to throw me more fastballs,” said Pacheco.
NEW BROMANCE: Tigers prospects Jackson Jobe and Izaac Pacheco have formed fast friendship
THE BOOK ON JOBE: Potential for Tigers’ Jackson Jobe? NL scout predicts: ‘No. 1 starter on championship team’
Jobe threw 25 pitches in Monday’s live batting practice.
Three of them were to his friend Pacheco.
“I got him with a first-pitch fastball,” Jobe said. “And then I went slider, and he fouled it away (down the first-base line), so I gave him another one. He got the fastball and the slider, so he had a chance at the fastball, but he missed it.”
Pacheco, a left-handed hitter, swung-and-missed at both the first-pitch fastball and third-pitch slider. The at-bat ended in a three-pitch strikeout for Jobe.
MONDAY’S OBSERVATIONS: Beau Brieske has been most impressive pitcher in minicamp
“We’re going to talk a little trash,” Jobe said. “We’re going to give him a couple of days and let him hear it, because I know I’ll be hearing the same. I know he’ll get another shot. But everything felt good. It was fun.”
Pacheco made sure to point out the Jobe’s pre-draft 3,000 rpm spin rate on his slider wasn’t a miscalculation.
Everything about his friend’s wicked arsenal is real.
“It was a good experience,” Pacheco said. “I was going to face him sooner or later. I got some swings off. I wish I would’ve gotten some more fastballs thrown, but he’s a great competitor. He has all the stuff in the world to become a Cy Young winner. … I just think his competitiveness, his drive and his work ethic. The stuff he has, it’s one of the best.”
HOME-RUN KING: This Tigers prospect no longer under the radar after homering over it
A NEW WORKMAN: How Tigers prospect Gage Workman became the best kind of thief
Jobe also faced 18-year-old shortstop Cristian Santana, 23-year-old infielder Andre Lipcius, 22-year-old shortstop Gage Workman and 20-year-old third baseman Colt Keith. The only damage came from Santana, who crushed an up-and-away fastball over the left-field fence for a home run.
It’s the second home run Jobe has allowed in minicamp, after 19-year-old shortstop Manuel Sequera took his fastball deep to left in Wednesday’s live batting practice. His fastball mechanics remain a work-in-progress.
VETERAN’S CONFIDENCE: Ex-Red Sox in Tigers’ camp is banking on big things from Javier Baez, Cristian Santana
MLB LOCKOUT: Once MLB returns, Matt Manning will show he has ‘all the tools’ to help Tigers
“(Fastball) was a little bitter,” Jobe said. “Y’all probably saw that pitch (to Santana). I wanted it more up and on the inside, and it kind of came back (over the middle) a little bit. That’s what we’re doing this for — learning from it. But I did get a lot more swings and misses on my fastball than I did the other day.
“Slider was a little inconsistent. Same with my changeup. My changeup felt good, but that’s how it is at the beginning of the season. It takes a minute to get the feel back. It’s been a while since we’ve had guys in (the batter’s box) going 100%.”
Jobe also learned he might be tipping his pitches.
He believes he pulls the ball out of his glove too early in his throwing motion, thus allowing the hitters to decipher his pitch grips.
“That’s something we’re going to check out in the video room and get a handle on it,” Jobe said.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.