Trade Profile: Spencer Torkelson, 1B

Spencer Torkelson, 1B

Position: 1B B/T: R/R
Age: 25 (08/26/1999)

2024 Traditional Stats: 381 PA, .219/.295/.374/.669, 75 H, 10 HR, 37 RBI, 33 BB, 105 SO
2024 Advanced Stats: 92 wRC+, 89 OPS+, 27.6% SO%, 8.7% BB%, .285 BABIP, .283 xwOBA, 0.1 fWAR, 0.3 bWAR

Rundown

The Mets have had quite the offseason, headlined by the signing of superstar outfielder Juan Soto. But more work is still to be done. One of their needs may be at first base, that is if they don’t decide to go with one of their in-house options. The team reportedly were considering a trade for Tigers first baseman, Spencer Torkelson.

After three impressive seasons at Arizona State, the Detroit Tigers selected Spencer Torkelson as the first overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft. He quickly became their top prospect, progressing through the minor league system in quick succession. Torkelson made the Tigers’ Opening Day roster in 2022. His rookie season was difficult, hitting .203 with eight home runs and 28 runs batted across 404 plate appearances. Not ideal, but at the age of 22, it was expected that he would hit some bumps in the road.

The following season was much different for Torkelson. He showed off plenty of power as the Tigers’ everyday first baseman, collecting 31 home runs and 94 runs batted in across 684 plate appearances. His average also increased, going up to .233 during the 2023 campaign. The expectation was that it would be the start of something special for him. It was a positive step towards reaching his potential. But instead, things took a turn for the worse in 2024.

Torkelson got off to a slow start offensively. Over his first 54 games, he slashed .201/.266/.330/.597 with just four home runs and 19 total extra-base hits. As a result, the Tigers demoted him in an attempt to let him work on his swing. Sometimes, that can destroy the confidence of a young player. Luckily for Detroit, it was the exact opposite for Torkelson. After over two months in Triple-A, he returned to the big league roster in mid-August. Over his final 38 games, Torkelson reminded people of what he did the year prior. He hit .248/.338/.444/.781 with six home runs and 19 runs batted in across 151 plate appearances.

While he hasn’t hit at the level of consistency expected of him, Torkelson’s finish to the 2024 season could be a sign of things to come. Interest in him should exist. He is also a compelling trade target because he has four more years of control. The Tigers signed former New York Yankee Gleyber Torres as their second baseman, moving Colt Keith over to first base. That may ultimately diminish Torkelson’s role within the team. A trade appears to be the best thing for both parties.

Trade Packages

With those four years of control in mind, I expect the Tigers to search for a solid return. After all, they will want something significant back for the former No. 1 overall pick. A package with a major league arm and a prospect close to major league ready could interest the Mets. I believe they have the depth, both on the pitching side and at the top of their farm system to complete a trade.

Trade A

Mets Receive:

• 1B Spencer Torkelson

Tigers Receive: 

• RHP Tylor Megill
• IF Jacob Reimer

Tylor Megill is a name that has been discussed in many trade talks. With the Mets having plenty of pitching options, they could afford to deal one. Jacob Reimer is an interesting name because of his positional versatility. Third base is a position that may be up for grabs in Detroit, especially if they fail to bring in Alex Bregman. Reimer has played third base and first base. Could be a fascinating target.

Trade B

Mets Receive:

• 1B Spencer Torkelson

Tigers Receive: 

• 3B Brett Baty

This is an intriguing one-for-one swap. The Tigers have been linked to Alex Bregman all off-season. Right now, third base is their weakest infield position. They have Jace Jung, Matt Vierling, Zach McKinstry, Andy Ibáñez and Trey Sweeney as internal options who can man the hot corner. If Detroit can’t nab Bregman, Baty would be an interesting grab. The former first-rounder hasn’t figured things out at the big league level. Across three big league seasons (544 at-bats), he’s hitting .215/.282/.325/.607. However, across 1,216 minor league at-bats, Baty is hitting .283/.382/.507/.889.

In the end, it might very well benefit both players for a change of scenery.

Recommendation

At this point, it’s difficult to call how the Mets will solve first base. A reunion with Pete Alonso could be on the cards, although Steve Cohen’s recent comments at Mets Amazin’ Day show the two sides have hit a wall in discussions. It is unclear as to whether or not a compromise is a possibility. For now, the Mets must move forward as if Alonso will not return. The likeliest way to do that is to move to an in-house option over to first base. Mark Vientos or Brett Baty, two third basemans, have been told to take reps at first baseman this offseason. Neither player has much experience at the position, though. Vientos has two big league starts at first, playing a total of 25 innings over there. Baty has no big league experience at first, with most of his time coming over at third base.

That said, a transition from third base to first base is not uncommon. If the Mets commit to one of those two making the positional change, at least temporarily, it can be done. Is there an alternative to that? Most of the free agent options have already been signed, not including the aforementioned Alonso. Could the trade market offer something intriguing to the Mets? I certainly think so. Torkelson was highly touted coming out of college for a reason. A change of scenery could be what he needs to kickstart his career. Going from Alonso to Torkelson would frustrate fans, but Torkelson has all the talent to succeed. With the farm system in a good spot, I think that would be a smart low-risk, high-reward gamble.

The post Trade Profile: Spencer Torkelson, 1B appeared first on Metsmerized Online.