LAKELAND, Fla. — Prior to the Tigers’ game against the Phillies on Thursday night, the team issued medical updates on several of their Minor League players, including some unfortunate news about top prospect Jackson Jobe.
Jobe, the No. 63 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, will be sidelined several months with lumbar spine inflammation. The lumbar spine refers to the five vertebra in the lower back.
The right-hander had reported the spine discomfort while throwing earlier in camp. He was evaluated by Dr. Thomas Tolli in St. Petersburg, Fla., and he was given a timetable of three to six months before he can begin a “return to a play program,” which basically means he’ll start ramping up to prepare for a rehab regimen.
Jobe, 20, got off to a solid, though not spectacular, start to his career in 2022. He posted a 4.52 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP over 61 2/3 innings (18 starts) last year at Single-A Lakeland in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. He struck out 26.3% of the batters he faced and earned a late-season trip to High-A West Michigan, where he surrendered only two earned runs in 15 2/3 frames.
Jobe was selected by the Tigers in the first round (No. 3 overall) of the 2021 Draft out of Heritage Hall High School in Oklahoma City. He made his Minor League debut with Lakeland on April 17, 2022, after not pitching professionally in his Draft year.