Left-handed pitcher Ben Jacobs was selected with the 23rd pick in the third round (98th overall) by the Detroit Tigers from Arizona State University. For Jacobs, that was not the path he thought he would go on when he committed to UCLA.
Benny J!!! @benjacobs1122 congratulations to you and the @tigers!! Go get it kid!!
— Willie Bloomquist (@williebloom) July 14, 2025
The southern California native spent his freshman season with the Bruins with a 9.00 ERA in five innings pitched, with only one start. Across the seven games Jacobs played, he had a 3.2 WHIP in that 2023 season. He then went into the transfer portal, where he signed with Arizona State.
In the summer of 2023, Jacobs spent time with two summer league teams, the Orange County Riptide of the California Collegiate League and the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League. With the Riptide, he appeared in three games, all from the bullpen, amassing a 1.93 ERA. He threw four and two-thirds innings and registered a 1.714 WHIP. His only appearance for the Braves was a start in which he threw four innings, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks.
Jacobs emerged in his sophomore season, when he was selected as a Pac-12 Honorable Mention. He managed a 7-3 record in 20 appearances, split in half between start and bullpen appearances, with a 4.75 ERA. He threw 66 and a third innings with a WHIP of 1.462.
This 2024 season was when Jacobs became known as a strikeout guy, which he is known for now. He had only struck out 15 of the 70 batters he had faced at UCLA, Orange County and Bourne. The southpaw struck out 102 of the 290 batters he faced.
Jacobs spent his 2024 summer in the Cape Cod League, this time with the Cotuit Kettleers. In two starts, totalling five innings, he did not allow a run. He allowed only one hit and four walks. The lefty struck out eight of the twenty batters he faced.
Jacobs excelled in his junior year, becoming the Sun Devils Friday starter and receiving All-Big 12 Second Team honors. He posted a 4-4 record in 16 starts with a 4.95 ERA and a 1.386 WHIP. He struck out 120 of the 368 batters he faced.
Jacobs' weakest point is his walk rate. Including summer leagues, he has a career walk rate of 5.5 per nine innings. His best two seasons for that stat came at Arizona State, where his walk rates were 4.9 and 4.8 in sophomore and junior years, respectively.
Jacobs was Arizona State’s 479th draft selection, the highest by any school. He was Arizona State’s highest pitcher selected since 2019 when Alec Marsh went 70th overall.
In his time in college, Jacobs had an elite strikeout rate of 13.2 per nine innings. If he goes on to be successful in the major leagues, his strikeout rate will be a big part of that.