Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize throws during spring training at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Casey Mize shows promise in first action for Tigers since April 2022

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 2/28/24

Casey Mize is back in action, and what a good sight it has to be for fans of the Detroit Tigers.

Mize is full of potential, and most of it has been unrealized. Since being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2018 MLB Draft, Mize has pitched only 39 starts since making his MLB debut in 2020.

His best season to date was 2021 when he had a 3.71 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 30 starts, but most of the 2022 season and all of the 2023 season were taken from him after he underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2022, followed by unrelated back surgery.

In all, Mize missed 22 months, but he's back on track this spring training. So much so, in fact, that he's already back on the bump for Detroit.

Mize threw 1.2 innings in Detroit's 6-4 spring training win over the Toronto Blue Jays, finishing with one strikeout, two walks, two hits given up and two earned runs.

Those aren't great numbers, but keep in mind that spring training games are glorified practice and for pitchers, they're more about warming up arms than they are giving up hits and runs.

Casey Mize hitting 97 mph with his heater early in his first game action post-surgery.
— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) February 27, 2024

Casey Mize sat at 42% Whiff/29% Called strike+ Whiffs.

12 pitches that he got batters to swing on came from from his fastball and his splitter. Fastball touched 97 today. pic.twitter.com/iNaP0WNmEH
— Rogelio Castillo (@rogcastbaseball) February 27, 2024

They said Casey Mize’s velocity was up this offseason and boy was that right! Fastball averaged 95.7 mph, but touched 97.3 with 18.8 inches of IVB, peaking at 21.3 inches
Splitter was nasty and sitting 87 mph, slider and curve were sharp.
42% whiff/29% CSW
— Chris Clegg (@RotoClegg) February 27, 2024

Mize needs to work on his command, but it's early in spring, and command issues are to be expected coming off Tommy John.

In terms of the things not seen in the box score, Mize looked promising, though. Now he just has to turn that promise into production worthy of a former No. 1 overall pick.

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