Tigers top prospect Jung on a tear in June
MLB's No. 70 prospect collects sixth multihit game in last nine efforts
If you looked up “ridiculous” in the dictionary, there’s a good chance that Jace Jung’s June numbers would be part of the definition.
To say the top Tigers prospect has been on a tear lately would be an understatement. In eight games this month, Jung is slashing .485/.526/.848 with more RBIs (12) than strikeouts (7). And on Friday, MLB’s No. 70 prospect continued to tap into his power with his second multihomer game of the season in West Michigan’s 8-6 win.
"[The Tigers] haven’t [tried to change my approach], they just really try to create timing," Jung told MLB Tonight's Matt Vasgersian. "That’s the big thing in our organization -- get good rhythm and good timing when you’re up at the plate. They know that when they drafted me in the spot they did, that it had nothing to do with swing and just going out there and playing every day and trying to compete, pitch to pitch, and dominate in the zone."
After a slow start to his first full season of pro ball, everything is starting to come together for the 12th overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft. The 22-year-old drove in three of the High-A affiliate’s runs, including the first of the game and the eventual winning run in the fourth.
The second baseman came out of the gate swinging, fouling off two offerings from Wisconsin righty Stiven Cruz before lacing his 10th double of the year to center field, putting the Whitecaps on the board just two batters into the frame.
It was clear that Jung had Cruz figured out. In his next two at-bats, the lefty took the right-hander deep, with both homers going to the exact same part of the park, right down the right-field line. His second long ball gave West Michigan a lead it would never relinquish.
The effort marked Jung’s fourth three-hit performance of the season and the first of his career with three extra-base hits in the same contest.
Entering May 31, the Texas Tech product was hitting just .221 with a .721 OPS and a drought of 11 straight games without a multihit performance, and his only extra-base hit in that span was a solo dinger. He doubled and homered on May 31, and that was the turning point -- he’s had six multihit games in his past nine contests.
Jung is coming off Midwest League Minor League Player of the Week honors and now boasts a .274/.382/.484 slash line with nine homers, 10 doubles, 30 walks and 31 RBIs in 48 games.