97.1 The Ticket -- Case Mize's first full professional season has come to an early end, as the Tigers have reportedly opted to shut him down for the remainder of the year.
The Tigers' top prospect and No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018 has spent most of the season at Double-A Erie this season. Tigers vice president of player development Dave Littlefield says the decision to shut the promising right-handed pitcher down for the rest of the year was not medically driven,
according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.
The Tigers are simply opting to be cautious with their top prospect's work load as he transitions to professional ball.
“It's simply that he's done so well this year and basically as we see and evaluate it and look at it from all different ends, the time was right to shut him down,” Littlefield said, according to Beck. “It wasn't any one thing. He wanted to pitch. We love that part of it. But we have to keep in mind it's his first pro season. …
“For a guy that's in his first full season that has experienced what professional baseball demands, especially coming into Major League camp, it's not one thing in particular, but the whole body of work.”
Mize ranks as the Tigers' top youngster and No. 2 overall prospect in all of baseball. Mize posted an 8-3 record with a 2.55 ERA in 109 1/3 innings between Erie and Single-A Lakeland this year. He captured headlines when he
threw a no-hitter in his Double-A debut back in April.
