'He's all-in': Tigers' Jung clubs 2 HRs at Spring Breakout

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Hall of Famer Alan Trammell has worked with so many Tigers prospects over his time as a special assistant that he could soon boast having molded most of Detroit’s starting infield by season’s end -- not that he would boast. When he sees Jace Jung, he sees the future.

“He’s all-in,” Trammell said.

He doesn’t just mean in ability; Jung was a first-round pick and is MLB Pipeline’s No. 60 prospect (No. 4 in the Tigers' system) for a reason. Trammell also means in attitude. During Jung’s time as a non-roster invitee in Major League camp, he was almost always the first infielder out on the field to work with coach Joey Cora.

“He’s all business,” Trammell said, “and I think you can see it in his work. He’s serious, and he wants to be a big leaguer. I think part of that is his brother [Rangers third baseman Josh Jung] -- following in his footsteps. He wants to be just like his brother. He actually probably wants to be better.”

That carried over to Saturday’s Spring Breakout game. While it was technically an exhibition of each organization’s prospects, the Tigers' 5-1 win over the Phillies at Joker Marchant Stadium was still business for Jung, whose two home runs powered the offense.

“Same game,” Jung said. “These pitchers got sent here for a reason, and they have really good stuff. You have to treat them like big leaguers. You have to go up there and do your big league thing, try to hit the ball hard.”

Jung is 7-for-20 with a home run and five RBIs for the Tigers in Grapefruit League play. He picked up where he left off in the first inning Saturday against the Phillies' No. 2 prospect in Mick Abel, sending a drive to right field for a solo homer.

“Changeup kind of broke a little bit down,” Jung said. “I kind of threw my hands at it a little bit.”

Jung’s second homer was crushed off Phillies' No. 11 prospect Griff McGarry, whose cutter wandered right into Jung’s swing zone. The resulting drive went a projected 412 feet onto the concourse over the right-field bullpens, fittingly just below the Tigers' executive offices.

As Jung crossed home plate, he took a quick glance into the stands, where his parents were seated. They arrived Friday, when Jung went 1-for-4 with an RBI single for the big league club against the Braves.

The power is what Jung is known for, and what could carry him to Detroit at some point this season. Jung, the Tigers’ top pick in the 2022 Draft, slugged 28 homers between High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie last season, then added another in the Arizona Fall League.

But Jung’s grit is just as important.

“He’s just a good all-around baseball player,” Trammell said. “He’s one of the guys that kind of grows on you. You have to watch him a little bit, to be honest with you. But he brings it.”