Auburn pitcher Casey Mize has taken the SEC by storm this year, striking out 140 batters in 102 2/3 innings while going 9-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 15 starts. He also has tossed three complete games, including a no-hitter against Northeastern on March 9.

Mize, a 6-3 right-hander who can throw 96 but relies even more on a splitter, has been so good that he’s getting some serious buzz as the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, which will take place June 4-6 in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Detroit Tigers own that pick, so the Auburn Tiger might get to stay with an organization with the same nickname if all goes according to plan.

It’s becoming rarer to see college players going No. 1 overall, with the last college No. 1 pick being Vanderbilt SS Dansby Swanson in 2015. The last time a college pitcher went No. 1 was in 2013, when Houston selected Stanford’s Mark Appel.

Still, Mize is the odds-on favorite to be the first player off the board next week, and SEC Network baseball analyst David Dellucci broke down why Mize is drawing some serious buzz.

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Dellucci has watched Mize a lot this year, and said the things that stand out the most are the way he commands the strike zone and the way he approaches the game mentally.

“He has the ability to throw four above-average pitches and command them,” Dellucci told Saturday Down South. “Casey Mize is one of the very few pitchers that I know of in college baseball today that actually calls his own pitches. He does not have a coach who relays calls to the catcher, Casey does it himself — he and the catcher work together. I think it shows the maturity of the young man.”

Three SEC players have been selected No. 1 overall in the MLB Draft:
Dansby Swanson, Vanderbilt, 2015
David Price, Vanderbilt, 2007
Ben McDonald, LSU, 1989

Dellucci added that he sees Mize’s fastball as being MLB-ready, and his stamina is something that will have pro teams intrigued.

“He has a fastball that he’ll throw 96 mph, sometimes it’ll reach 97, which is outstanding,” he said. “And he goes deep into ballgames. The ability of Casey to be a top-tier strikeout pitcher really sets him apart from everyone else. He has a knack for pitching down in the strike zone, which makes him difficult to hit.

“I actually had the opportunity to call one of his games — a matchup between him and Mississippi State. He threw a complete game, and in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, he threw 21 pitches — 19 of them were strikes. He goes directly at batters and I love to see that fearless mentality on the mound. He basically says, ‘here, if you can hit it, I’ll tip my hat to you,’ but most teams have not been able to do that.”

So, assuming MLB teams agree with Dellucci’s assessment and the Tigers take him No. 1 overall, what pitcher’s game most resembles Mize’s? Dellucci praised the Auburn star, comparing him to Kevin Brown, who won a World Series with the 1997 Florida Marlins and led the National League in ERA twice.

Though Dellucci had success against Brown, hitting .435 with three doubles, one home run and six RBIs in 25 plate appearances, Brown was dynamic. In 19 seasons, Brown won 211 games and made six All-Star Games.

Dellucci said Mize has a lot of similarities to Brown, especially in terms of his arsenal of pitches.

“I think he’s got a little way to go, but the closest comparison I can remember facing is Kevin Brown, who was a National League ERA leader and (an) All-Star. Kevin Brown had a similar arsenal — he also had a fastball, a cutter, a two-seam fastball and a really good split-finger, which is what Casey Mize offers, along with the changeup. Very similar styles, very similar velocities.

“I look for Casey, as he continues to develop mentally and physically, I think he’s going to be that type of pitcher. (Brown) is the best guy who comes to mind.”

Auburn is the No. 2 seed in the Raleigh regional of the NCAA Tournament. Host N.C. State is the top seed. The Tigers will take on Northeastern (the team Mize tossed a no-hitter against) on Friday at 2 p.m. Eastern time.

Mize won’t start Friday, but he will pitch at some point during the weekend, and Detroit scouts will likely be there to get one last look at the guy who could become the newest member of their organization in a few short days.