Detroit Tigers No. 1 Prospect Could Miss Entire Season

A terrible break for the Detroit Tigers and their No. 1 prospect, 20-year-old pitcher Jackson Jobe. He's been diagnosed with lumbar spine inflammation and will be out from three to six months.

#Tigers prospect Jackson Jobe to miss 3-6 months with lumbar spine inflammation https://t.co/DoixFzxGJd

— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) March 16, 2023

The 3-to-6 month timeline is just to begin a return-to-play program, which makes his actual return much farther out. 

The hard-throwing Jobe was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 MLB June Draft by the Tigers, and signed for $6.9M. He rose to the top spot on the team's prospect rankings after his first pro season last year. He posted a 3.84 ERA with 30 walks and 81 strikeouts in 77⅓ innings across low-A and High-A. 

The young hurler had reported spine discomfort earlier in spring training, and the new diagnosis confirms a worst-case scenario. 

His major league ETA was still a couple of years away, but this unfortunate news could push that timing back. 

Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK