Two years ago this week _ a month before the 2018 MLB draft _ someone stopped me for a question.
A simple question, really _ who were the Detroit Tigers taking with the No. 1 overall pick?
A trick question? The person asking the question was already in a position to know. At first, I thought he wasmessing around. But there was no catch.
When I said, "Casey Mize," he shrugged his shoulders, didn't argue and continued on with another conversation.
The next month, the Tigers did indeed take Mize. There really wasn't any doubt they would _ I mean, if I could figure it out, there was no need for the Tigers to overthink the pick.
Two years later, the Tigers are drafting No. 1 again, and there appears to be even less doubt that the Tigers will take this year's favorite, Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson.
This is not necessarily because of Torkelson's great power. Nor is it an indictment of Austin Martin _ the dynamic Vanderbilt junior and Torkelson's only true competition for the top spot _ or because the Tigers need a first baseman of the future.
It's because, barring some massive change, Torkelson has already played his way into the No. 1 spot _ with this year's spring seasons canceled, no one can prove that they're better.
