Casey Mize’s journey from being undrafted three years ago to becoming the number one pick by the Detroit Tigers is quite remarkable. The announcement of his selection as the first pick of the MLB draft was made at the MLB Network studios, marking the Tigers’ first top selection since 1997 when they picked Rice pitcher Matt Anderson.
Standing at 6 feet 3 inches and weighing 220 pounds, Mize had long been associated with the Tigers and eventually moved up to the second spot on the draft board. Despite not being drafted out of high school, he honed his skills during college and emerged as a top prospect.
Expressing his excitement in an interview, Mize stated, “It means a ton. I can’t describe this feeling right now.” During the season, he showcased impressive stats including a 2.95 ERA, 151 strikeouts, and 12 walks, leading the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament super regionals with his arsenal of four pitches, including a powerful mid-90s fastball.
Making history as the seventh player to go from undrafted to the number one pick, Mize follows in the footsteps of Stephen Strasburg, who achieved the same feat back in 2009 by being selected by the Washington Nationals.
Tigers’ general manager, Al Avila, expressed confidence in Mize’s potential, envisioning him as a key asset in their player development system that will contribute to bringing success to Detroit in the upcoming seasons.
Avila added, “Being a college pitcher—especially coming from the Southeastern Conference—we know Casey has faced top-notch competition before.”
In the second pick, San Francisco chose Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart, the 2018 Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year.
