LAKELAND, Fla. — The future in Detroit is on display in Lakeland now.
If Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene were heavyweight fighters, they wouldn't need to look far for promoters.
"They're really good," Miguel Cabrera said this week. "Have you ever seen these guys play? Yeah. They're really good."
The pair of first round picks are draw a ton of attention in Lakeland. The top prospects are working to prove they're ready to make the Opening Day roster after impressive 2021 seasons.
"There's a reason why we love them so much. They're really good players," manager AJ Hinch said. "They have sort of the 'it factor' when it comes to how they fit on a club, how they interact with people. They can handle this pressure."
Teammates are adjusting their lives and petitioning for the duo to make the club out of camp.
"It's awesome. It's really awesome, actually. It makes me feel better as a player, you know? It makes you want to go out there and prove them right," Greene said.
Cabrera has always insisted on playing in the field. A designated hitter role has never been enough for him, so he grabbed attention this week when he said he would move out of the way for Torkelson.
"We want Torkelson in the lineup," Cabrera said with a smile. "I'll take that DH."
Torkelson, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2020 draft, heard the comments.
"It's really cool coming from him. He's a future Hall of Famer. He knows what he's doing. We want him in the lineup too, you know?" he laughed.
