Detroit Tigers Skipper Gives Exciting Update on Former Top Prospect
With there being not a whole lot to play for in the short term, that doesn't mean the players on the field won't be playing meaningful innings for the Detroit Tigers.
Whenever a team undergoes a sell at the trade deadline, it gives the organization an opportunity to see what their young players can do at the Major League level.
Unsurprisingly, the Tigers used this time period to call up some of their intriguing prospects to better understand if they can be building blocks of this roster going forward as they seemingly are ready to start moving into contender status.
Seeing what these players can do should help them know which positions they need to pursue during the offseason if there are clear holes.
Perhaps the most important thing Detroit needs to evaluate is who they can pair alongside their ace Tarik Skubal going forward.
Based on where some of their top pitching prospects are within their farm system, they could potentially have a completely different looking rotation in 2025 as Ty Madden and Wilmer Flores are both in Triple-A. Those Top 10 prospects could be in the mix alongside the other players with that designation, Keider Montero and Sawyer Gipson-Long, who have already been called up to The Show.
However, the Tigers would love to see what their former top minor leaguer Casey Mize can do.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft looked promising when he posted a 3.71 ERA across 30 starts during his second year in the bigs. Unfortunately, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery after two starts the following season that kept him out for the majority of 2022, and all of 2023.
Mize had some good moments this year, posting a 4.23 ERA in 16 starts before hitting the injured list with a hamstring injury on July 3.
Detroit eventually moved him over to the 60-day IL that suggested he might be done for the season, something he was not too happy about.
But, Jason Beck of MLB.com reported that Mize has been scheduled to start his first rehab game on August 8, something that is a great first step in getting him back at some point this season.
"We want to get him ready as fast as possible," manager A.J. Hinch said.
Because the Tigers moved him to the 60-day designation on July 29, the right-hander won't be eligible to return until after this month. But this will give him time to build up his arm and potentially be featured in their starting rotation to close out the year.
BRAD WAKAI