Detroit Tigers fans will be getting an early shot at seeing top prospect Casey Mize in action. The club has invited the No. 1 pick from the 2018 MLB Draft to major-league camp for spring training, a source tells Jason Beck of MLB.com.
Mize, 21, is still expected to open the regular season with Class-A Lakeland or Double-A Erie, but the team reportedly wants him to get some reps in against more seasoned competition while also working with big-league pitching coach Rick Anderson.
The young right-hander made his debut in the Tigers' system after being drafted, posting a 4.63 ERA over 11 2/3 innings at Class-A Advanced last summer.
A standout at Auburn, Mize compiled a 20-13 record with a 2.96 ERA in 267 1/3 innings over three college seasons before being selected by Detroit as baseball's top draft pick last summer. He immediately ascended to the top of the team's farm system and is currently listed as the 18th-best prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline.
He's one of five Tigers pitchers to be ranked in the top 100 prospects alongside Matt Manning, Franklin Perez, Alex Faedo, and Beau Burrows.
