Petaluma native Torkelson taken with No. 1 pick
A first baseman in college, a third baseman in the pros. Spencer Torkelson, the first overall pick in the draft, has a new position.
The Tigers, as anticipated, opened the abbreviated fiveround draft Wednesday by picking Torkelson, who got the word at his home in Petaluma, where his family and friends gathered for the big moment.
In a bit of a surprise, Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Torkelson as a third baseman, and Tigers general manager Al Avila immediately confirmed that’s where Detroit’s scouts believe he can play.
Torkelson, 20, graduated from Petaluma’s Casa Grande High School before heading to
Arizona State, where he turned into a premier power hitter who led the Pac12 in home runs as a freshman and sophomore.
“It’s not a shock to me. I pride myself as a baseball player, and a baseball player isn’t stuck at one position,” Torkelson said in an ESPN interview when asked about playing third base.
“You’re not playing in the backyard as a 5yearold locking down first base only. You’re playing all over the place, so that’s kind of what I pride myself on. I pride myself on winning and getting the job done. And if that’s at third base, I’ll do my best over there and make it happen.”
On being the top overall pick, Torkelson said, “I told my dad ... ‘You can punch me in the face right now, I don’t think I’d feel it.’ It was just the biggest adrenaline rush and the happiest moment in my life to this date. It’s unreal.”
The Orioles had the second pick and selected outfielder Heston Kjerstad from the University of Arkansas. The Marlins took pitcher Max Meyer from the University of Minnesota with the third pick, and the Royals followed by taking lefty Asa Lacy of Texas A&M.
Mitty infielder Nick Yorke, who batted .505 with seven homers and 40 RBIs as a junior in 2019, was taken by the Red Sox with the No. 17 overall pick, one of the most startling picks of the day. Mock drafts had him getting picked at some point Thursday during the second through fifth rounds.
“The Red Sox have always been on the radar, and when the phone call came, it was a nice surprise,” Yorke said. “Personally, I feel like a firstrounder. I know a lot of rankings and sites didn’t have me there.”
Torkelson, who bats and throws righthanded, hit .337 with a .463 onbase percentage and 54 homers in twoplus seasons with Arizona State, falling two homers behind school recordholder Bob Horner. The NCAA season shut down in midMarch because of the coronavirus.
It’s rare a first baseman is drafted first overall — high schooler Adrian Gonzalez in 2000 was the first — and no college first baseman had ever been the top pick.
Paul Maytorena, Torkelson’s high school coach, said he’s confident Torkelson can play third in pro ball, a position he played at Casa Grande before moving to first as a senior.
“I’ve seen him enough at third to know he can play, and his work ethic is second to none,” said Maytorena, adding Torkelson’s athleticism also would make him a fit in the outfield. “Plus it gets another power bat in the lineup.”
Torkelson is 6foot1 and 210 pounds. His playing weight is 215. Either way, he has demonstrated tremendous power to all fields and has a keen eye at the plate.
Torkelson’s 25 homers his first year at ASU broke Barry Bonds’ school record as a freshman — as a kid, Torkelson was a Giants fan and idolized Bonds — a big leap for Torkelson from his days at Casa Grande, where he hit 11 homers in four seasons.
Agent Scott Boras represents Torkelson, who’s in line to receive a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $8 million — the slot for the first pick is $8.4 million, the second $7.8 million and third $7.2 million.
In 1998, another power hitter who grew up in the Bay Area was the first overall pick: Pat Burrell, who played at Bellarmine in San Jose. The Phillies selected Burrell out of the University of Miami, and he played 12 years in the majors, his final two with the Giants.