Tyler Mitzel is Ready for the Next Step: Miami Marlins Review

Tyler Mitzel signed with the Miami Marlins through free agency last June.

This weekend, we’re finishing up our offseason-long series on every player to appear in the Miami Marlins 2018 system. Today’s first article, featuring pitcher Tyler Mitzel, is Part 281 of 286. Later today, we’ll take a look at pitcher Jumbo Diaz‘ season.

Tyler John Mitzel is a 6’4″, 210 lb. right-handed hitting and throwing pitcher from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, population 176,888. The city has produced exactly three major leaguers to date. Pitcher Jerry Crider (1969 Minnesota Twins, 1970 Chicago White Sox), pitcher Terry Forster (1971-76 White Sox, 1977 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1978-82 Los Angeles Dodgers, 1983-85 Atlanta Braves, 1986 California Angels), and middle-infielder Dusty Coleman (2015 Kansas City Royals, 2017 San Diego Padres).

Mitzel was born on May 10th, 1996, and attended Roosevelt HS in his hometown. In 2015, after graduation, he joined Neosho County CC to play for the Panthers. As a freshman, he posted a 4-2 record in the Kansas-Jayhawks Conference. As a sophomore, he was 8-5 as a starter, and struck out 9.60 batters per nine innings.

In 2017, Mitzel joined the Arkansas State University Red Wolves in the Division I Sun Belt Conference for his junior season. His 4.76 ERA ranked fourth on the team, as did his 17 appearances. He was second on the club with 64 1/3 innings pitched.

As a senior, Mitzel matriculated to his third college in four years to Augustana College, a Division 2 outfit in the Northern Sun Collegiate Conference. They went 52-9 overall, and Mitzel did his part, racking up a 12-0 record in 15 games (including 12 starts). Mitzel had a 2.02 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 80 innings, along with a 1.07 WHIP. Here’s Mitzel a week before signing on with Miami, courtesy of the You Tube page of GoAugie.

After graduating, Mitzel signed a free agent deal with the Miami Marlins on June 1st, 2018. His first professional assignment was to the rookie-level, Florida-based GCL Marlins in the Gulf Coast League. On June 26th, he made his debut and pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings, striking out a batter in an 8-7 victory against the GCL Astros. The next day, he was reassigned to the Batavia Muckdogs, in the short-season-A New York-Penn League.

In Mitzel’s first seven appearances at the new level, he struck out 19 while walking only two and allowing a .143 opposing batting average in 12 1/2 innings. On August 12th, he struck out four and earned a win over two scoreless innings, allowing only one hit in a 2-1 victory over the Williamsport CrossCutters.

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In 17 games in total, all in relief, Mitzel was 2-1 with a 4.09 ERA, 28 K’s in 21 1/3 innings, and a 1.41 WHIP. He struck out 11.45 batters per nine innings, and held the opposition to a .256 average. He issued nine walks, and closed the season still with the Muckdogs.

Mitzel is still part of the Batavia Muckdogs, but may start the season one level up in the full-season-A Midwest League for the Clinton LumberKings.

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