Pitcher Casey Mize has been getting attention as the favorite to be picked by the Detroit Tigers with the first pick in the MLB Draft on June 4, but general manager Al Avila isn't showing his hand.

That's because, he said, the Tigers haven't made a decision yet - and won't for at least a week.

Mize, a right-handed starter out of Auburn, has garnered attention of late because of an impressive junior season. In 14 starts, the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder is 9-4 with a 2,94 ERA with 65 hits allowed in 95 innings with 133 strikeouts and 10 walks. He has a mid-90s fastball and a splitter in the low-90s.

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Avila saw Mize pitch last weekend and came away impressed but not ready to proclaim him with their first pick.

"Casey Mize is one of the premier pitchers in this year's draft and he is one of many, many guys our guys have been following around the country," said Avila, who was in Comstock Park to watch the Tigers' Class-A affiliate West Michigan Whitecaps.

The Tigers hold the first pick in the draft for the first time since Matt Anderson in 1997 and Mize is one of "about 10 guys already," that Avila has seen in person.

Avila explained the Tigers' general selection process.

"We basically go out and put our eyes on the few guys that they (scouting directors) are closing in on," Avila said. "I've seen about 10, 12 players just so you have a good feel for yourself with your own eyes so when you go into that room and they start talking about these players, you have a better feeling about them."

The draft doesn't have any must-have first pick, and so it's left to guess who the Tigers will pick. If it is a pitcher, others at the college level who have gained attention include Brady Singer, a right-hander from Florida, and Shane McClanahan, a hard-throwing (100 mph) left-hander from South Florida.

A college pitcher, obviously, has higher potential to reach the big leagues faster than a high schooler. Last year, the Tigers selected Alex Faedo, a right-hander from University of Florida who's currently with Lakeland in high Class A.

The Tigers have gone the high school pitcher rout for first picks in recent years, too, with Matt Manning (2016) and Beau Burrows (2015).

A position player has been the first overall pick the past three years (shortstop Royce Lewis to Minnesota in 2017, outfielder Mickey Moniak to Philadelphia in 2016 and shortstop Dansby Swanson by Arizona - and later dealt to Atlanta - in 2015).

As for the Tigers' selection process, regional meetings were held last week, Avila said, and "final meetings" are next week.

Avila said area scouts make recommendations to cross checkers who do home visits and extensive background checks on draft targets. Regionally, they made recommendations before scouting directors last week.

"Not everyone does it the same, but that's how we do it," said Avila, noting a "preferential list" will now be created from regions from the west coast, central, the mid-central and the east.

"We'll bring it all together for one big national pref (preferred) list," he said of next week's meeting. "Then, a couple days before the draft we'll have it all done and we'll have it on the board."