LAKELAND, Fla. — When Casey Mize finished throwing his bullpen Thursday, Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch pulled him aside.
The conversation wasn't brief.
"His pitches are elite across the board," Hinch said Friday, the third day of pitcher-catcher workouts in spring training. "When he understands the impact of the elevated fastball, when he can use his splitter — incredibly nasty — throughout the counts and not just late in counts to punch guys out, he will take a leap forward."
Mize's repertoire — splitter, four-seam fastball, sinker, slider, curveball — isn't a concern.