Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, will make his major league debut with a road start Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox.
Ranked as Detroit’s No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Mize was 8-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 21 starts between Class A Lakeland and Double-A Erie in 2019. He had 106 strikeouts and 23 walks in 109 1/3 innings.
Mize, 23, played three seasons at Auburn and became the second two-time All-American in school history.
The Tigers were swept by the Cleveland Indians over the weekend and have lost five straight entering the start of their four-game series Monday in Chicago.
Detroit also needs pitching help after placing starter Ivan Nova on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with right triceps tendinitis.
Mize isn’t the only top Detroit prospect scheduled to make his MLB debut this week.
Left-hander Tarik Skubal, ranked No. 5 in the Tigers’ farm system, will get the start on Tuesday against the White Sox.
Infielder Isaac Paredes (No. 6 prospect) also will make his first appearance in the big leagues, general manager Al Avila announced Monday.
“We felt they were ready,” Avila said. “The need obviously arose right now, the greatest need. We’re trying to get some of these guys through the season and some of these guys have gotten injured, the latest one obviously Nova. Right now, we feel they’re ready to contribute.”
Skubal, 23, was Detroit’s ninth-round pick in 2018. He was 6-8 with a 2.42 ERA in 24 starts last season between Erie and Lakeland. He fanned 179 batters and walked 37 in 122 2/3 innings.
Paredes, 21, played in 127 games for Erie in 2019, batting .282 with 13 homers, 23 doubles and 66 RBIs. The Mexico native has played at second base, third base and shortstop in the minors.
