Certainly many Detroit Tigers fans panicked when they saw the headline that their top draft pick was shut down for the remainder of the season, but it is really nothing to worry about.
When the news crawl in the Detroit Tigers area read that top draft pick Casey Mize was shut down for the rest of 2018, certainly many Tigers fans felt their heart hit their throat, then their toes. It’s really not anything to worry about.
Mize was the no-doubt #1 overall selection this June in the 2018 draft, a dominant college ace with a collection of present plus pitches and plus control of those pitches, giving him a very high floor that should allow him to move quickly. Indeed, Mize finished his first pro season all the way up in high-A, pitching in the Florida State League.
The season began with Mize already viewed as an early first-round selection, but when he came out and absolutely dominated in early performance, he moved himself to the top of the pile of college arms and never faltered until very late in the season when a pair of outings added nearly a run to his ERA, finishing with a 3.30 ERA over 114 2/3 innings for Auburn with a 16/156 BB/K ratio.
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Mize’s pro debut went well, as he made 5 starts between GCL and the Florida State League, tallying 13 2/3 innings, with a 3.95 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 3/14 BB/K ratio. He reached an inning limit as the Tigers wanted him to make 5 appearances as a pro after his heavy workload this season for Auburn.
He won’t have far to go for his workouts as his Lakeland locale in the Florida State League is also where the Detroit Tigers team facilities are, so he will know the facilities well where he will work with Detroit Tigers staff to be ready to likely hit the upper minors in 2019.
The Detroit Tigers have a lot riding on the right arm of Casey Mize, so it’s a wise decision at this point to let that arm rest for 2019 and beyond.