LAKELAND, Fla. — Right-hander Jackson Jobe, the Detroit Tigers' top pitching prospect, could miss the entire 2023 season.

The 20-year-old reported spine discomfort earlier in spring training and has been diagnosed with lumbar spine inflammation. He isn't expected to begin his return-to-play program for 3-6 months. Dr. Thomas Tolli, an orthopedic spine surgeon, evaluated Jobe in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Tigers drafted Jobe with the No. 3 overall pick in 2021.

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Jobe started 21 games in the 2022 season, his first year of professional baseball, for Low-A Lakeland (18 starts) and High-A West Michigan (three starts). He posted a 3.84 ERA with 30 walks and 81 strikeouts in 77⅓ innings.

For the Whitecaps, Jobe logged a 1.15 ERA with five walks and 10 strikeouts in 15⅔ innings.

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The Tigers did not allow Jobe, who signed for $6.9 million, to pitch after the 2021 draft. The draft occurred two months after Jobe's final outing in high school, so the Tigers were proactive in trying to protect his health.

He turns 21 in late July.

This story will be updated.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers prospect Jackson Jobe to miss 3-6 months with injury