Former No. 1 Overall Draft Pick Appears to Make Detroit Tigers Starting Rotation

In addition to those send-downs, the Tigers also informed veteran Kenta Maeda that he'll open the season in the bullpen.

The 27-year-old Mize was the No. 1 pick in the draft back in 2018 (Auburn), but it's been a rocky road for him since getting into the majors. A four-year veteran, he's 9-19 lifetime with a 4.36 ERA. He's dealt with a slew of injuries, including Tommy John surgery that caused him to make just two starts in 2022 and no appearances in 2023.

However, he's had an excellent spring, pitching to a 1.13 ERA in 16.0 innings. He's struck out 18 batters in those 16.0 innings, showcasing the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that made him the top overall pick.

The Tigers are coming off a season in which they finished third in the American League Central and advanced to the playoffs. They beat the Houston Astros in the American League wild card round and then lost to the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series.

They have playoff expectations again this season and those were only heightened when they signed Jack Flaherty over the offseason.