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- Where is Tarik Skubal from?
- Tarik Skubal high school
- Where did Tarik Skubal go to college?
- Tarik Skubal college stats
- Tarik Skubal MLB Draft
When you think of elite MLB pitchers of this generation, look no further than Tarik Skubal.
Skubal is one of the most prolific pitchers in recent MLB history. In 2024, he had a historic season, winning the pitching triple crown — leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts — making it the first time its been done since 2011. His Triple Crown performance earned him the unanimous American League Cy Young Award, making him only the second AL pitcher ever to win the Triple Crown and the Cy Young in the same full season.
In 2025, Skubal put together another exceptional season, once again leading the American League in ERA. He is one of only three starting pitchers since 1913, along with Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom, to have a 14-start stretch with an ERA below 1.50, 100+ strikeouts and 12 or fewer walks, according to the Elias Sports Bureau
Throughout his two historic seasons, Skubal put himself in elite Tigers company. He became the first Tigers pitcher in franchise history to strike out 40+ batters through his first six starts with fewer than nine walks (in 2024) and tied a Tigers playoff record with 14 strikeouts in his 2025 AL Wild Card start against the Cleveland Guardians.
But, before Skubal became one of the most historic Detroit pitchers he was lighting it up out west at Seattle University.
Here's what to know about Skubal's background before joining the Tigers' organization, including his hometown, high school and college.
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Where is Tarik Skubal from?
Tarik Skubal was born in Hayward, California, but later went to a small high school in Arizona.
He has three older brothers, Tyler, Trevor and Trent, and a younger half-brother, Will.
Tarik Skubal high school
Tarik Skubal went to Kingman Academy of Learning, which is in Kingman, Arizona. Per USA Today, the high school had no baseball field, with the team playing in a city park, and his graduating class had just 65 students. Coincidentally, the high school's team name is also the Tigers.
Skubal helped lead the team to the state championship in 2012 and 2013 and pitched a perfect game in the 2014 playoffs, per his college roster page.
Kingman is located along Route 66. The town that has a population around 36,000 in 2024, per World Population Review. Skubal faced long odds on his way to the majors, as he had just one Division I college offer coming out of high school.
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Where did Tarik Skubal go to college?
Tarik Skubal took his only offer, which came from Seattle University. Leaving Arizona for the northwest, Skubal quickly became one of the top pitchers on the Redhawks' staff. He immediately impressed as a freshman in 2015, earning Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American honors with a solid 3.24 ERA.
However, he missed part of the 2016 season and the full 2017 season due to Tommy John surgery, yet another obstacle in his incredible journey to the major leagues. Over his time at Seattle, Skubal became a potential MLB draft selection with his impressive numbers.
Skubal's return in 2018 was dominant, as he set multiple records for the Redhawks and solidified his status as a legitimate professional prospect. The Detroit Tigers selected him in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
| Collegiate Career Stats (Seattle University) | Total | School Record Rank |
| Career Wins | 21 | 1st (School Record) |
| Lowest ERA (Starter) | 2.11 | 1st (School Record) |
| Lowest Opponent Batting Avg. | .221 | 1st (School Record) |
| Career Strikeouts | 224 | 2nd |
| Innings Pitched | 206.0 | 4th |
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Tarik Skubal college stats
In his freshman season, Tarik Skubal totaled 68 strikeouts in 83.1 innings while maintaining a 3.24 ERA. He started off even better in his sophomore year in 2016, posting a 2.11 ERA through his first 42.2 innings.
Injuries held Skubal out for the rest of his sophomore season, and he wouldn't return to the mound until 2018. Here's a look at Skubal's year-by-year and total numbers at Seattle University:
| Year | Grade | Games | Wins | Losses | Innings | Earned runs allowed | ERA | Strikeouts | Hits | Walks | Batting average against |
| 2015 | Freshman | 17 | 7 | 4 | 83.1 | 30 | 3.24 | 68 | 69 | 27 | .224 |
| 2016 | Sophomore | 8 | 6 | 1 | 42.2 | 10 | 2.11 | 50 | 32 | 17 | .208 |
| 2018 | Redshirt junior | 19 | 8 | 2 | 80.0 | 37 | 4.16 | 106 | 66 | 56 | .225 |
| Totals: | 44 | 21 | 7 | 206.0 | 77 | 3.36 | 224 | 167 | 100 | .221 |
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Tarik Skubal MLB Draft
Tarik Skubal was originally selected by the Diamondbacks in the 29th round of the 2017 MLB Draft but opted to return to the Redhawks for another season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. After his redshirt junior season, Skubal was selected by the Tigers in the ninth round of the 2018 draft, and he signed with the team with a $350,000 signing bonus.
Right away, Skubal began to dominate against minor league hitters, proving himself after coming out of a small high school and dealing with injuries. In 2019, he had a 2.13 ERA in 42.1 innings with the Tigers' double-A affiliate, the Erie SeaWolves, and he flew up Detroit's prospect rankings over time.
Skubal made his MLB debut in August 2020, but struggled through his eight appearances that season with a 1-4 record and a 5.63 ERA. However, the pitching repertoire was clearly there for Skubal, and he made the Tigers' opening day roster in 2021 as a starter.
His numbers only got better from there, and now he stands as a true No. 1 ace for Detroit's staff. In 2024, Skubal claimed the first pitching triple crown (led league in wins, ERA and strikeouts) since Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw in 2011.
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