AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn junior right-hander Casey Mize was selected first overall by the Detroit Tigers in Monday’s Major League Baseball Draft, becoming the first player in program history to be taken with the No. 1 overall pick.
Mize also becomes just the fifth player from the Southeastern Conference to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick, joining Dansby Swanson (Vanderbilt, 2015), David Price (Vanderbilt, 2007), Luke Hochevar (Tennessee, 2006) and Ben McDonald (LSU, 1989). He is also just the eighth player since the MLB Draft began in 1965 to go undrafted out of high school and later be selected first overall.
In 16 starts this season, Mize has posted a 10-5 record and a 2.95 ERA and recently became just the second two-time All-American in program history. His 151 strikeouts not only lead the SEC and rank second in the country, but are also tied for the third most in a single-season in program history. Dating back to the beginning of last season, the Springville, Ala., native has struck out 260 batters and issued only 21 walks.
Along with his strikeout total, Mize also leads the SEC in strikeout-to-walk ratio (12.58), strikeouts per nine innings (12.39) and WHIP (0.81). His strikeout-to-walk ratio and WHIP are good for second and third in the country, respectively.
[su_slider source=”media: 18810,18806,18809,18808″ limit=”15″ height=”400″ title=”no” pages=”no” mousewheel=”no” autoplay=”3500″ speed=”500″]Mize has turned in a quality start in 10 of his 16 trips to the mound and has gone the distance in three games this season. He took the mound on Mar. 9 vs. Northeastern and turned in the ninth no-hitter in program history while totaling 13 strikeouts without issuing a walk. The 13-strikeout performance against the Huskies was one of six outings with 10 or more strikeouts this season, including a record-matching 15 strikeouts vs. Vanderbilt on May 4. Mize joined former Auburn pitchers Mark Chapman, John Powell, Tim Hudson and Chris Bootcheck in the 15-strikeout club and was the first SEC pitcher to accomplish the feat in a conference game since 2012.
Heading into next weekend’s Super Regional, Mize ranks fourth in program history with 319 career strikeouts and needs nine more punchouts to move into sole possession of third.
George Nunnelley, Assistant Director of Communications