Ben Jacobs: A Lefty Prospect Moving Up in the Tigers System

# Overview Ben Jacobs, a 2025 third-round pick out of Arizona State, has emerged as an up-the-board prospect for the Detroit Tigers after a strong run in High-A West Michigan. The 22-year-old left-hander has combined added strength, mechanical tweaks, and better extension to create more velocity and missing bats. He still needs to reduce his walk rate to sustain upward movement.

# What changed since college Jacobs entered pro ball with a relatively low profile. By the time the Tigers' Top Prospects list was published in early 2026 he ranked 24th in the system with a 40 future value (FV). Over the season his profile has risen as he adjusted his delivery and body.

He reported roughly 10 pounds of added muscle since being drafted and a lower body fat percentage. Those physical gains, plus cleaned-up mechanics, increased his extension by five to six inches versus last year. That extension gives hitters a shorter perceived time to the plate and has helped his fastball play harder.

Scouting notes describe a hybridized delivery. Instead of the static stretch-only motion he used in college, Jacobs now starts like the stretch then steps back with his right foot toward third base before completing a more athletic, full-body delivery. That stride direction reportedly lands his front foot more toward the third-base side, which helps momentum and velocity.

# Results on the field Across 87 1/3 innings in 2026 — most of them at High-A — Jacobs posted a 34.4% strikeout rate, a 3.50 ERA, and a 3.80 FIP. During one five-game span in High-A he fanned 33 batters while allowing just 10 hits and two runs over 26 innings. In his last three starts of that stretch he logged 15 scoreless innings.

# Remaining issues Control is the primary limitation. Jacobs' season walk rate sits at 11.5%, and while he has limited free passes in recent outings (two or fewer walks in four of five recent starts), he remains somewhat walk-prone. Prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen described him as an "arrow up guy" who now merits a 40+ FV but cautioned that command needs improvement.

Jacobs attributes part of the issue to mental processing rather than purely mechanical faults. He and pitching coach Rico Ricabal have been simplifying his routine and approach to keep mechanics consistent and the mind clear.

# What to watch next

• Does the walk rate trend downward over a larger sample now that Jacobs has more consistent mechanics and strength?
• Can Jacobs maintain the added velocity and extension while continuing to land pitches in the strike zone?
• How his secondary offerings develop in bite and consistency as he climbs levels.

# Bottom line