Tigers: Casey Mize sent to Toledo proves Detroit isn’t ready to contend
On Monday, the Detroit Tigers optioned 19 players to their satellite camp at Triple-A Toledo.
The Detroit Tigers roster moves leave 37 players competing for the final 30 roster spots on this season’s big league club. They will make seven more options to Toledo’s camp before the season begins, but Casey Mize has already been shipped off to Toledo.
Throughout Summer Camp in Detroit, it’s been glaringly evident that the Tigers’ top pitching prospect, Mize, is extremely talented and should be considered “major league ready” by the team, front office, and fans.
Mize, along with many other tigers prospects, has been reassigned to the team’s Triple-A affiliate, where they will continue working out as members of Detroit’s “taxi” squad while maintaining the opportunity for a potential recall later on this season.
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The star pitcher displayed an excellent command of the strike zone and a bevy of plus pitches during the Tigers’ recent training camp
However, General Manager (GM) Al Avila decided to stick with his initial rebuilding plan despite current pressure from both the media and Detroit’s fan base.
At this point, the big league ball club really has nothing to gain by fast-tracking Mize’s route to the Majors. In all actuality, the franchise would lose if the prospect broke camp with the Tigers.
Even though Avila has maintained the decision was not affected by the youngster’s impending service time, the club will benefit and maintain club control of Mize for an extra season by delaying his promotion.
The decision makes sense considering the Tigers have a “boat-load” of prospects coming up behind the pitcher in the minors.
Together, the group will eventually form the core of a Detroit team looking to return the franchise to a position of contention in the American League over the next decade.
That group includes talented pitchers, including Matt Manning, Tarik Skubal, and Alex Faedo. Each player will be a significant piece in Detroit’s future rotation.
There are also position players such as catcher Jake Rogers, who is currently in the process of fine-tuning his skills as a hitter, despite being ready to be the team’s everyday catcher from a defensive standpoint.
Both Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson, the team’s two first-round picks from the last two MLB drafts, have the potential to be superstars carrying impact bats at the major league level. Still, each player is a year or two away from making their major league debuts as they focus on defensive development.
Each has been tasked with making a position switch since being drafted, which will take time before Greene and Torkelson can be considered fully competent instead of a defensive-liability. Many of Avila’s moves since taking over as general manager have been questionable.
However, with the decision to delay Mize’s promotion, he shows great wisdom and patience. Patience is a virtue, and it’s crucial not to fast-track this rebuilding process just to appease fandom and garner improved approval ratings.
Fans in Detroit are starving for the team’s return to legitimacy. Still, it’s important that this prospect train isn’t derailed before ever reaching the Motor City. Summer Camp should be received as nothing more than a taste.
Just a taste of everyday life in the majors for the franchise’s top prospects. Just a taste of the future to come for Detroit’s fanbase, and just a taste for Avila, who has been proactive in using the misfortunes of COVID-19 to gain a good look at the work he’s conducted since taking over as general manager in 2015.
For now, the Detroit Tiger’s future as a contender is still pending. What we do know for sure is that Mize and other prospects seem deadset to accelerate this rebuilding plan’s ETA. Sooner, rather than later and potentially even this season, we will see these boys of summer make their debuts.
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Until then, they will continue cutting their teeth at the satellite camp in Toledo while the fans wait impatiently for each to be recalled to Comerica Park with the Detroit Tigers.