Casey Mize

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #3 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Splitter: 70. Curveball: 50. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Mize established himself as the nation’s best pitcher at Auburn and was the easy choice for the Tigers to take with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. He raced to Double-A in his first full season, twirling a no-hitter in his Erie debut, but went on the injured list with shoulder soreness late in the season and showed noticeably diminished stuff when he returned. Mize began the 2020 season at the alternate training site and made his major league debut on Aug. 19, but struggled to an 0-3, 6.99 mark in seven starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Mize looks the part of a frontline starter with three power pitches out of a physical, 6-foot-3 frame. His fastball sits 93-96 mph and gets swings and misses in the strike zone when his command is on. His best pitch is his diving splitter in the mid 80s with late drop away from hitters on both sides of the plate. His third potential plus pitch is an upper-80s breaking ball he shapes between a cutter and a true slider. He also throws a low-80s curveball that lags behind his other offerings. Mize struggled with his fastball command and general control in his debut, but he’s been a plus strike-thrower throughout his career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Mize’s debut wasn’t pretty, but his track record and arsenal indicate he is still a potential frontline starter.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #1 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Mize faced durability questions at Auburn after missing time with a flexor strain as a sophomore and pitching only sparingly that summer for USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. As a junior, however, Mize cemented himself as the best player in the 2018 draft class and was picked No. 1 overall by the Tigers. He signed for $7.5 million, a then-record for the largest bonus under the current draft format implemented in 2012. Mize began his first full season at high Class A Lakeland and dominated Florida State League competition before receiving a promotion to Double-A Erie, where he spun a no-hitter in his first start. Mize pitched well initially for the SeaWolves but gave the Tigers a scare on June 13, when he left his start with right shoulder soreness. He returned to Erie a month later but was nowhere near as effective. He logged a 7.09 ERA in his final six starts before the Tigers shut him down.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Mize's fastball touches 97 mph but sits comfortably in the 93-94 range. It plays up because he commands it with ease to both sides of the strike zone. Mize also uses a harder cutter in the upper 80s, which helps neutralize lefthanded hitters, as well as a slider in the low-to-mid-80s. The slider improved in 2019 with better shape and consistency. His main secondary offering is a double-plus splitter that has late, hard downward tumble. Mize disguises his splitter well and it tunnels off the plane of his fastball, generating plenty of swings and misses. All of his pitches are firm but work to different parts of the strike zone effectively. Mize projects to have future plus control despite a herky-jerky delivery. He throws all of his pitches for strikes with above-average command and shows maturity on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: After dominating the Eastern League, Mize should continue his quick rise through the minors. He should continue to log innings in the upper minors as he prepares for the rigors of a major league season. If all goes well, Mize may get his first taste of big league competition at the end of the 2020 season. His pitch mix, advanced control and double-plus splitter paint the picture of a future front-of-the-rotation starter around whom the Tigers can build.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #1 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Tigers had not picked first overall since 1997, when they selected Rice closer Matt Anderson. They hope that picking a college righthander works out better this time. Mize signed for $7.5 million, which set a bonus record for any player since the current draft format was adopted in 2012. Mize came into his junior season at Auburn facing questions about his durability. He had missed time as a sophomore with a flexor strain and did not pitch that summer. But he had no problems fronting Auburn’s rotation in 2018 and reinforced the conviction that he was the clear top player in the 2018 draft class. Using his signature splitter, Mize held hitters to a .217 average in college. After tossing a career-high 114.2 innings in his junior season, Mize made just five starts in pro ball before shutting things down for the year.
  
  Scouting Report: Mize features a 91-95 mph fastball that touches 97. It’s a plus-plus pitch that plays up because of how well he locates it. His fastball sets up his other offerings, all of which are above-average across the board. Mize’s 80-86 mph slider is almost two pitches in one. He can make it bigger and slower when he’s looking for an early-count strike, but he can also throw it harder and tighter as a later-count out pitch. His best weapon is his plus-plus, mid-80s splitter. While many pitchers struggle to command and control their splitter, he commands his nearly as well as his fastball. It looks like his fastball out of his hand and then dives out of the zone as it nears the plate. Additionally, Mize has started to throw a cutter that flashes above-average. Everything he throws is hard, and he uses his splitter in lieu of a changeup. As good as his stuff is, Mize’s plus control is equally noteworthy. He ranked among the top 20 in walk rate in Division I as both a sophomore and junior and led D-I in strikeout-to-walk rate in 2017. The intangibles will also play a role for the righty, and Tigers coaches love his approach to the game.
  
  The Future: As he works to repeat his delivery with more consistency, Mize should fly through the minors. The 2019 season will be his first full campaign in the minors, and he should have no trouble reaching Double-A Erie by the end of it. Mize’s ability to command his offerings and throw a plus-plus splitter and two additional plus pitches put him in an excellent position to be a potential front-of-the-rotation starter.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #1 prospect in 2018 draft
  Mize has established himself as the top player in the 2018 draft class thanks to a deep and talented repertoire that is made mostly of 60-grade or better offerings and exceptional control that allowed him to lead all college pitchers with a 12.11 strikeout-to-walk ratio as a sophomore in 2017. Through 10 starts this spring, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound righthander had improved his K/BB to a ridiculous 15.67 mark with a 2.25 ERA in 68 innings. Mize pitches off of a fastball that gets up to 97 mph but sits in the 93-95 range and a 70-grade splitter that's among the best offspeed offerings in the country. Typically a difficult pitch to control, even for professional pitchers, Mize locates the 86-89 mph splitter remarkably well, with powerful downward action. He also has a slider that is in the mid- to upper 80s that he's thrown with a different grip this spring than he had on previous occasions. He has two variations of the slider--one that is more firm and used as an out pitch and another that's softer with more of a curveball shape and used as a get-me-over strike. He has also added a cutter to his repertoire this spring that's in the 88-91 mph range and scouts have already graded it as a plus offering. On top of all of that, Mize also throws a slower changeup from a different grip than his power splitter, which falls in the low 80s with fade and sink. While technically he has a four-pitch mix, the variations to the splitter and slider give him six different offerings to attack hitters, each of which grade out as plus offerings for most scouts, headlined by the plus-plus splitter. The stuff, pitchability and performance give Mize the ceiling of a future ace, with his medical history being the only knock on his resume. Mize was shutdown with forearm issues during the spring and summer of 2017 and has had trouble staying healthy dating back to his time as a high school prospect in Springville, Ala. He's avoided injury issues the spring of his junior year, however, and if he continues to make his starts and nothing crazy shows up in his medical this June, he should be the first player off the board.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Eastern League #2 prospect in 2019
  Mize showed what he could do in his first start against Eastern League competition. The righthander spun a no-hitter against Altoona and dominated the competition in the season's first half. Mize's ascent was slowed when he went on the injured list in June with shoulder inflammation. When he returned in late July, he turned in three quality starts and three disaster starts. In his final six starts, he ran up a 7.09 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. He was ultimately shut down in mid-August due to fatigue. "I loved that guy. He has electric stuff, and he knows how to pitch," one opposing manager said. Mize's fastball has good life and tops out in the mid- to upper 90s. His splitter is a plus pitch with tumble that he throws in the mid-80s. Mize also features a hard cutter, which has been an effective go-to pitch this season, and a slider that also is an above-average pitch. With four pitches that project as above-average or better and good control, Mize still has ace potential despite durability concerns.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #28 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #13 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #16 prospect in 2019

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Splitter: 70. Curveball: 50. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Mize established himself as the nation’s best pitcher at Auburn and was the easy choice for the Tigers to take with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. He raced to Double-A in his first full season, twirling a no-hitter in his Erie debut, but went on the injured list with shoulder soreness late in the season and showed noticeably diminished stuff when he returned. Mize began the 2020 season at the alternate training site and made his major league debut on Aug. 19, but struggled to an 0-3, 6.99 mark in seven starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Mize looks the part of a frontline starter with three power pitches out of a physical, 6-foot-3 frame. His fastball sits 93-96 mph and gets swings and misses in the strike zone when his command is on. His best pitch is his diving splitter in the mid 80s with late drop away from hitters on both sides of the plate. His third potential plus pitch is an upper-80s breaking ball he shapes between a cutter and a true slider. He also throws a low-80s curveball that lags behind his other offerings. Mize struggled with his fastball command and general control in his debut, but he’s been a plus strike-thrower throughout his career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Mize’s debut wasn’t pretty, but his track record and arsenal indicate he is still a potential frontline starter.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Splitter: 70. Curveball: 50. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Mize established himself as the nation’s best pitcher at Auburn and was the easy choice for the Tigers to take with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. He raced to Double-A in his first full season, twirling a no-hitter in his Erie debut, but went on the injured list with shoulder soreness late in the season and showed noticeably diminished stuff when he returned. Mize began the 2020 season at the alternate training site and made his major league debut on Aug. 19, but struggled to an 0-3, 6.99 mark in seven starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Mize looks the part of a frontline starter with three power pitches out of a physical, 6-foot-3 frame. His fastball sits 93-96 mph and gets swings and misses in the strike zone when his command is on. His best pitch is his diving splitter in the mid 80s with late drop away from hitters on both sides of the plate. His third potential plus pitch is an upper-80s breaking ball he shapes between a cutter and a true slider. He also throws a low-80s curveball that lags behind his other offerings. Mize struggled with his fastball command and general control in his debut, but he’s been a plus strike-thrower throughout his career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Mize’s debut wasn’t pretty, but his track record and arsenal indicate he is still a potential frontline starter.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Mize faced durability questions at Auburn after missing time with a flexor strain as a sophomore and pitching only sparingly that summer for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team. As a junior, however, Mize cemented himself as the best player in the 2018 draft class and was picked No. 1 overall by the Tigers. He signed for $7.5 million, a then-record for the largest bonus under the current draft format implemented in 2012. Mize began his first full season at high Class A Lakeland and dominated Florida State League competition before receiving a promotion to Double-A Erie, where he spun a no-hitter in his first start. Mize pitched well initially for the SeaWolves but gave the Tigers a scare on June 13, when he left his start with right shoulder soreness. He returned to Erie a month later but was nowhere near as effective. He logged a 7.09 ERA in his final six starts before the Tigers shut him down.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Mize’s fastball touches 97 mph but sits comfortably in the 93-94 range. It plays up because he commands it with ease to both sides of the strike zone. Mize also uses a harder cutter in the upper 80s, which helps neutralize lefthanded hitters, as well as a slider in the low-to-mid-80s. The slider improved in 2019 with better shape and consistency. His main secondary offering is a double-plus splitter that has late, hard downward tumble. Mize disguises his splitter well and it tunnels off the plane of his fastball, generating plenty of swings and misses. All of his pitches are firm but work to different parts of the strike zone effectively. Mize projects to have future plus control despite a herky-jerky delivery. He throws all of his pitches for strikes with above-average command and shows maturity on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: After dominating the Eastern League, Mize should continue his quick rise through the minors. He should continue to log innings in the upper minors as he prepares for the rigors of a major league season. If all goes well, Mize may get his first taste of big league competition at the end of the 2020 season. His pitch mix, advanced control and double-plus splitter paint the picture of a future front-of-the-rotation starter around whom the Tigers can build. Fastball: 60. Splitter: 70. SL: 60. Cutter: 55. Control: 55. BA GRADE 65 Risk: High
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Mize faced durability questions at Auburn after missing time with a flexor strain as a sophomore and pitching only sparingly that summer for USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. As a junior, however, Mize cemented himself as the best player in the 2018 draft class and was picked No. 1 overall by the Tigers. He signed for $7.5 million, a then-record for the largest bonus under the current draft format implemented in 2012. Mize began his first full season at high Class A Lakeland and dominated Florida State League competition before receiving a promotion to Double-A Erie, where he spun a no-hitter in his first start. Mize pitched well initially for the SeaWolves but gave the Tigers a scare on June 13, when he left his start with right shoulder soreness. He returned to Erie a month later but was nowhere near as effective. He logged a 7.09 ERA in his final six starts before the Tigers shut him down.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Mize's fastball touches 97 mph but sits comfortably in the 93-94 range. It plays up because he commands it with ease to both sides of the strike zone. Mize also uses a harder cutter in the upper 80s, which helps neutralize lefthanded hitters, as well as a slider in the low-to-mid-80s. The slider improved in 2019 with better shape and consistency. His main secondary offering is a double-plus splitter that has late, hard downward tumble. Mize disguises his splitter well and it tunnels off the plane of his fastball, generating plenty of swings and misses. All of his pitches are firm but work to different parts of the strike zone effectively. Mize projects to have future plus control despite a herky-jerky delivery. He throws all of his pitches for strikes with above-average command and shows maturity on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: After dominating the Eastern League, Mize should continue his quick rise through the minors. He should continue to log innings in the upper minors as he prepares for the rigors of a major league season. If all goes well, Mize may get his first taste of big league competition at the end of the 2020 season. His pitch mix, advanced control and double-plus splitter paint the picture of a future front-of-the-rotation starter around whom the Tigers can build.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Mize showed what he could do in his first start against Eastern League competition. The righthander spun a no-hitter against Altoona and dominated the competition in the season's first half. Mize's ascent was slowed when he went on the injured list in June with shoulder inflammation. When he returned in late July, he turned in three quality starts and three disaster starts. In his final six starts, he ran up a 7.09 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. He was ultimately shut down in mid-August due to fatigue. "I loved that guy. He has electric stuff, and he knows how to pitch," one opposing manager said. Mize's fastball has good life and tops out in the mid- to upper 90s. His splitter is a plus pitch with tumble that he throws in the mid-80s. Mize also features a hard cutter, which has been an effective go-to pitch this season, and a slider that also is an above-average pitch. With four pitches that project as above-average or better and good control, Mize still has ace potential despite durability concerns.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Mize was the clear No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft thanks to his combination of now stuff (his fastball is plus and his plus-plus splitter was the best pitch in the draft class) and advanced control and command. He will pitch very little this year because he threw 115 innings for Auburn, but he is advanced enough to move quickly next season.