Tigers Pitcher Has Put Himself in Position for Potentially Sizable Payday

During the 2024 season, the Detroit Tigers were facing the grim reality of potentially having whiffed on two No. 1 overall picks.

In the 2018 MLB draft, they selected starting pitcher Casey Mize out of Auburn. In the 2020 MLB draft, it was first baseman Spencer Torkelson selected out of Arizona State.

Both had immense upside and were oozing with potential as top prospects. But they were struggling to realize their talent.

As a result, their futures with the Tigers looked to be in doubt once the 2024 campaign came to a close.

Torkelson didn’t have a spot in the everyday lineup after Gleyber Torres was signed in free agency. Mize was difficult to count on given his lack of production and inability to stay healthy.

But, both players were motivated this offseason and came into 2025 with something to prove, now becoming key contributors to the team's incredible amount of success.

Torkelson has been excellent as a run producer in the middle of the order, providing the offense with the pop it was lacking.

Mize, who has unfortunately landed on the injured list with a tweaked hamstring, had been dealing this year.

He's tied for the MLB lead with six wins and was providing excellent production behind the team’s ace, reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, Tarik Skubal.

How Much Could Casey Mize Earn on His Next Contract?

Mize has a 2.53 ERA through seven starts and 42.2 innings, providing the team with excellent length each time he took the mound. He recorded at least one out in the sixth inning all seven times out this year.

Not possessing elite velocity, he has found a way to make his arsenal work while still missing bats with some regularity. His control has been pinpoint with an impressive 5.2% walk rate, owning some of the best breaking stuff in the game.

Mize’s plus-5 Breaking Run Value is in the 95th percentile in baseball, per Baseball Savant.

This is the kind of performance Detroit has been waiting for and is why MLB insider Jeff Passan of ESPN has listed him as a contender to join the nine-figure salary club when he hits free agency after the 2026 campaign.

Mize is showing that a pitch can still succeed despite not being a flamethrower with off-the-charts stuff.

To land a contract of at least $100 million, he is going to have to sustain this success for more than a few weeks. He also has to find a way to stay healthy since teams aren’t going to commit that kind of money to a pitcher who has made only 66 starts, and 68 overall appearances, since making his MLB debut in 2020.

Still, Mize is flashing the top-end of his capabilities, so if he can keep it up, he'll be in line for a massive payday.

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