Former No. 1 Overall Pick Says He Wants to Throw "As Much As They'll Let Me" as He Works Back From Injury

Former No. 1 overall draft pick Casey Mize is fully recovered from Tommy John surgery and hasn't heard anything from the Detroit Tigers about innings limits or restrictions on him this spring.

From MLB.com:

Mize completed his rehab work early in the offseason and is on a normal throwing program. The Tigers haven’t discussed any restrictions and limitations on Mize’s innings for Spring Training or the season, but Mize said Feb. 12 that he’ll throw “as much as they let me.”

It's good to hear that Mize feels good despite not pitching since April of 2022. The Tigers have made big improvements this offseason and feel like they can compete in a lackluster American League Central, so Mize's health and re-development will go long a way towards helping them achieve that goal.

Picked first overall out of Auburn in the 2018 draft, Mize made his debut in 2020. He's 7-13 in his young career with a 4.29 ERA but showed real promise in 2021 when he pitched to a 3.71 ERA in 30 starts. 

He joins Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning as pitchers that the Tigers have wanted to build around, but haven't been able to keep healthy. If those three are healthy, plus the new additions of Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty, the Tigers should have a good chance in the division.

Detroit finished second in the Central last season behind the Minnesota Twins. In addition to a crop of new and healthy pitchers, the Tigers have added Mark Canha this season as well.