California-bred Ben Jacobs is in love with Michigan, and with a Tigers team that wants him (eventually) in Detroit

Comstock Park, Mich. – Beneath a late Sunday morning summer sun, music boomed across LMCU Park -- the kind of upbeat, cross-generational ballpark tunes (“Good Vibrations,” “Daydream Believer,”) intended to put a West Michigan Whitecaps crowd in the mood for baseball.

Ben Jacobs needed no help from the Beach Boys or Monkees. He was ready, even then, as he eased into a ballpark chair high above the third-base line, to throw a few innings or chomp on anything baseball-related, given that it’s quite the passion for a 22-year-old in his first full professional season.

“You grow up hearing how dreadful the minor leagues can be, what a grind it is,” said Jacobs, a mustachioed gent, 6-foot-1, a tick under 200 pounds, and a left-hand starter who is viewed as one of the Tigers’ top-tier pitching talents. “But I think the grind is the best part of it. I get to play the game I love for a living. And along the way you meet so many people -- and see so many new places.”

Jacobs so impressed scouts during his time at Arizona State the Tigers made him their third-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.

They have liked him even more in 2026, in part by what he has done in his past three games: 14 innings, 11 hits, four walks, 18 strikeouts.

He has had issues with the strike zone, no question — 27 walks against 78 strikeouts in 55.2 innings since joining West Michigan after a brilliant four-game start at Low-A Lakeland (16.2 innings, eight hits, six walks, 24 punch-outs).