Mighty Casey On The Mound
An Op-Ed By R.J. Henle
Casey Mize has spent this season living up to the hype, as the best pitcher in MiLB.
After going undrafted in high school, Mize needed just three seasons at Auburn to mold himself into the 2018 MLB Draft’s top pick. He was the first player to go from undrafted in high school to the top pick in the draft since Stephen Strasburg, who was taken by the Washington Nationals with the first overall pick in 2009.
With their first top pick since 1997 (the year Mize was born) the Detroit Tigers grabbed the then 21-year-old prospect with the hope he would serve as a building block for the team’s future. He was the Tigers’ first top-two pick since they took former ace Justin Verlander with the second-overall pick back in 2005.
So, to say Mize has a lot to live up to is an understatement but he could very well end up resetting the Verlander standard for pitching in Detroit.
“I think [Mize] he’s got some great stuff,” said Army coach Jim Foster. “He reminded me of (Justin) Verlander when he was at Old Dominion and we played him. He’s great, a great pitcher. Really a special, special player… Mize, he was awesome.”
In four starts this season with the Lakeland Flying Tigers (High-A), Mize went 2-0, walking just one batter and giving up just one run in 26 innings (good for a 0.35 ERA).
He was soon given a huge promotion to the Erie Seawolves (Double-A) and in his debut with the team on April 29, Mize threw the first no-hitter of his professional career in a 1-0 victory over the Altoona Curve, striking out seven and allowing just two baserunners on 98 pitches.
Mize has proven himself to be a rare talent – a man among boys, so far, in the Minors.
The 22-year-old boasts four key pitches in his arsenal, including a fastball with solid running movement, averaging 92-95 mph and topping out at 96, a sharp cutter at 88-90 mph, a slower slurve with similar movement and a lethal splitter.
The movement, velocity and control of his pitches keeps batters on-edge and separates Mize from the rest of the pack. His stability and command on the mound come from a quiet motion which begins subtle and slow but finishes with a near-violent twist, reminding me of a young Josh Beckett.
Despite chatter of a potential Major League debut in 2019, the righty is still about a year away, but when he ultimately finds his way to the show, he’ll join Matthew Boyd, Spencer Turnbull and Daniel Norris in a promising Tigers’ bullpen.
