Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson is no stranger to success on the diamond. Although the former Arizona State standout was left off the star-studded American League All-Star roster last week, Torkelson is primed for a historic season if he can continue his success at the plate.
Torkelson is tied for first in the American League for home runs by a first baseman. He and the New York Mets’ Pete Alonso sit atop the MLB standings with 21 apiece. Although Torkelson was left out of the mid-summer festivities during All-Star week, he continues to propel the Tigers toward first place in the AL and the best record in baseball.
Tracy Smith, the former ASU baseball coach who is now the coach of the Michigan Wolverines, said Torkelson has always been a natural at the plate and that his level of success was more or less expected when he made it to the majors.
“I remember at the time, and through watching him throughout the years, (Torkelson) is a generational talent,” Smith said. “I had the good fortune of coaching (Philadelphia Phillies outfielder and MVP of the 2025 All-Star game) Kyle Schwarber, and when people started putting Torkelson in the same sentences as Schwarber, I think that says enough.”
Torkelson joined Smith and the Sun Devils as a freshman for the 2018 season. That same year, he led the country in home runs (25) as a freshman, just two shy of Mitch Jones’ ASU record of 27 in the 2000 season with the Sun Devils.
Some would argue, however, that Torkelson’s power at the dish is secondary to what really makes him stand out — his diligent work ethic.
Armando Flores, the director of community relations for Sun Devils baseball, was with the program while Torkelson played at ASU. He noted that Torkelson’s intensity on the ball field was unmatched.
“He had tremendously high expectations of himself every time he went to the plate. Almost to a fault at times,” Flores said. “He wanted to hit the ball hard and far each time at the plate.”
Torkelson brought that same intensity to the big leagues, quickly solidifying himself on the Tigers’ roster after just a handful of seasons in the minor league system.
There are those closely aligned with the ASU baseball program who had an inkling that this was Torkelson’s trajectory.
Long-time broadcaster and Sun Devils play-by-play announcer Tim Healey said there were plenty of early signs as to what type of career Torkelson would have on the ball field.
“His freshman year, he was an All-American, a regular All-American, not just a freshman All-American, in 2018,” Healey said. “That was just an early indicator that you knew this kid was probably going to have a special career.”
Smith agrees with Healey, saying, “You could just see it, and you could see it early – he was different.”
Though his 2025 season with the Tigers has centered around his impressive power at the dish, Torkelson still has room to improve overall as a hitter. He was batting .239, with 96 strikeouts, heading into Wednesday’s game against Pittsburgh.
But at 25, he’s still in the early stages of his career, and he’s known to make his way back to the Valley during the offseason to hone his craft.
“I see him most mornings in the batting cages and on the short field in the back taking ground balls,” Flores said. “I see him taking maybe 200 or 300 ground balls every day. He still maintains that commitment and willingness to put in the work needed to reach the pinnacle of success that he longs for.”
The Petaluma, California, native has an upside that’s hard to overstate this early in his career. There is still some work for him to do at the plate and on the defensive side of things, but he’s got all the tools to help lead the Tigers deep into the playoffs.
Despite Torkelson’s success, his humility and team-oriented attitude sets him apart, traits his former Sun Devils coach hasn’t forgotten.
“He’s of that rare quality of player, where he’s taken 1-1, which means he was the best amateur player on the planet that year, but what he is more than that is he’s truly one of the best human beings – super humble,” Smith said.