Tigers’ top prospect Michael Fulmer to make major league debut

1:39 PM ET

MINNEAPOLIS — Michael Fulmer couldn’t help but get a little emotional when he was summoned into Lloyd McClendon’s office on Wednesday night. McClendon, Fulmer’s manager in Triple-A Toledo, told him he would not be making his next scheduled start for the Mud Hens. Instead, he was headed to Detroit, where he would join the Detroit Tigers and make his major league debut.

Fulmer put his head in his hands and gave that announcement a minute to register.

Finally, he got the call.

“I’ve been dreaming of this since I was 4 years old and playing T-Ball,” Fulmer said. “This is the second-best day of my life, besides my wedding — my wife will enjoy that — no, it’s a blessing, and I’m just so happy to finally achieve my goal, and hopefully I can compete well enough to stay up here.”

The 23-year-old Fulmer, acquired in last season’s trade that sent star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets at the trade deadline, will make his first big-league start on Friday against the Minnesota Twins, taking the mound in place of injured right-hander Shane Greene, who is headed to the disabled list with an injured middle finger.

Fulmer, who ranked as the organization’s top prospect and rates among the league’s best, had an impressive spring training in his first camp with the club. ESPN senior writer Keith Law predicted he had a strong ceiling as a starter after seeing him pitch this spring:

Fulmer, the Tigers’ best prospect coming into …

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