The Detroit Tigers have called up former first-round pick Jace Jung, according to the Detroit Free Press. After calling up Trey Sweeney earlier this evening, reports emerged that Jung was also going to get his first taste of the major leagues.
Jung, a 23-year-old infielder, was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 draft. He split time between High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie last season as a second baseman but switched to third base ahead of his move to Triple-A Toledo this year. Through 91 games, Jung has proven reliable enough there to warrant a call-up, but his calling card is still his bat.
Keep in mind that Jung didn’t need to be called up as he isn’t Rule 5 eligible until December 2025. That means the Tigers think it’s time to start his MLB clock and that he can help the team, to some degree. Jon Morosi is reporting that Detroit will start both Jung and fellow call-up Trey Sweeney (shortstop) over the final 40 games of the season.
Trey Sweeney (shortstop) and Jace Jung (third base) are expected to start a significant number of games down the stretch for the Tigers at their respective infield positions.
Detroit needs to see what they have — especially with Sweeney, who is 24.@MLBNetwork @MLBPipeline
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 16, 2024
A quick look over Jung’s offensive numbers doesn’t offer anything too impressive — he’s slashing .257/.377/.454 with 14 home runs and 60 runs batted in Triple-A, which is what’s expected from a guy whose best tool is power — but his metrics reveal a patient approach at the plate that’s remained consistent at every level.
Jung has above a 15% walk rate over more than 1,000 career at-bats in the minors, so he’s probably going to get on base in the majors. The big question is whether the power will play Detroit needs it to. Comerica Park isn’t a hitter’s wonderland by any means, but Jung continues to show plenty of power production in-game. In terms of raw power it’s pretty average juice, but Jung pulls a lot of balls in the air and if things go well could outslug some of low side projections.
The lefty should be able to flirt with 20-25 homers as a regular starting player. For now, he’ll have to earn that playing time. His power plays to his pull side, and Detroit has that deep alley in right-center for anything that isn’t pulled toward the 330-foot corner.
With a balanced approach, Jung has posted solid numbers against both offspeed pitches and breaking balls. He has some ability to take the ball the opposite way, and some of his struggles against better velocity have been alleviated as a result. Like most prospects, Jung is a good fastball hitter overall, but he’s really improved against high velocity stuff, and that will serve him in good stead at the major league level.
The Tigers will likely use Jung at both second and third until he becomes too big of a liability at the latter position to play there. He made the switch to third less than a year ago, and he’s had some issues adapting to the hot corner, so it’s a bit odd to see him called up to the majors so quickly. Jung’s fielding percentage is .891 at third this year but it’s handle really hard ground balls and making the throws more consistently that still require serious work.
Both Bless You Boys and MLB Pipeline ranked Jung fifth in the farm system in midseason updates. Unlike Sweeney, Jung wouldn’t become Rule 5 draft eligible this offseason, so it’s certainly more of a surprise to see him get the call. They Tigers will need to open up two 40-man roster spots to make room, but there’s no word yet on who they’ll be releasing.