Detroit Tigers’ Casey Mize named MLB’s No. 1 RHP prospect; Matt Manning also in top 10

Mize, Manning are team’s top two prospects

Detroit Tigers pitching prospects Casey Mize (left) and Matt Manning (right). (WDIV/Getty Images)

DETROIT – Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize has been named the No. 1 right-handed pitching prospect in baseball, and Matt Manning is also among the top 10.

MLB Pipeline released its top 10 right-handed pitching prospects for 2020 on Tuesday, and Mize topped the list.

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The 22-year-old was excellent in his first full season of professional ball, posting a 2.55 ERA and 0.942 WHIP while striking out 106 batters in 109.1 innings across Single-A and Double-A.

Mize’s numbers were even better before an injury sidelined him for a month in the middle of the season. After returning, he posted his three worst outings of the year in the final six appearances.

First overall MLB draft pick Casey Mize of the Lakeland Flying Tigers delivers a pitch during a Florida State League game between against the Dunedin Blue Jays on July 31, 2018, at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, Florida. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

At the end of the 2019 season, Mize was ranked the No. 7 overall prospect in baseball. He was selected by the Tigers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft.

Manning is the No. 2 prospect in the Tigers’ system and was the No. 27 prospect in all of baseball at the end of 2019.

The team’s first-round pick from the 2016 draft checks in at No. 7 on the right-handed pitchers list. Manning spent the entire 2019 season with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves, posting a 2.56 ERA, a 0.980 WHIP and a 10.0 K/9. His walk and home run rates were low, but his strikeout took a bit of a dip. Though it’s still excellent, the Tigers would love to see him get back up around his career rate of 11 strikeouts per nine innings.

Detroit Tigers prospect Matt Manning goes into his wind-up against the Hartland Yard Goats while playing for the Double-A Erie SeaWolves on May 21, 2019.

Detroit is the only franchise with multiple top 10 right-handed pitching prospects. Here’s the full list:

  1. Casey Mize, Tigers
  2. Nate Pearson, Blue Jays
  3. Forrest Whitley, Astros
  4. Michael Kopech, White Sox
  5. Sixto Sanchez, Marlins
  6. Dustin May, Dodgers
  7. Matt Manning, Tigers
  8. Luis Patino, Padres
  9. Spencer Howard, Phillies
  10. Grayson Rodriguez, Orioles

While the rest of the position rankings are set to officially roll out over the next couple of weeks, the Tigers figure to have at least one more player included.

Tarik Skubal finished 2019 as the No. 74 prospect in baseball and the No. 9 left-handed pitching prospect. There’s no reason for the 23-year-old to be bounced from the list after he struck out 82 batters while allowing just 25 hits in 42.1 innings in Double-A.

Detroit Tigers pitching prospect Tarik Skubal on the mound for the Double-A Erie SeaWolves (WDIV)

He was the best pitcher in the system after being promoted to Erie, and it appears the Tigers got a steal by selecting him in the ninth round of the 2018 draft.

The team’s first-round selection in 2019, Riley Greene, is a fringe top 10 outfield prospect. He finished last season ranked No. 46 overall and and No. 11 in terms of outfielders.

Infielder Isaac Paredes and left-handed pitcher Joey Wentz are candidates to be included in the top 100 overall prospects. Daz Cameron and Alex Faedo have also showed some positive signs.


About the Author:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.