Nazier Mulé Focuses on Health, Progression in Myrtle Beach
July 9, 2024 by Sam Weiderhaft The road to The Beach has been windy, but not long for Nazier Mulé. The 19-year-old was drafted in the fourth out of high school in 2022 but had to wait a full season before making his Cubs’ affiliate debut. The two-way star was
July 9, 2024 by Sam Weiderhaft
The road to The Beach has been windy, but not long for Nazier Mulé. The 19-year-old was drafted in the fourth out of high school in 2022 but had to wait a full season before making his Cubs’ affiliate debut.
The two-way star was highly regarded coming out of Passaic County Technical Institute in New Jersey. He was one of the top shortstops in the state, while also throwing in the upper 90s on the mound.
While gearing up for his first professional season in 2023, Mulé suffered a torn UCL in his throwing arm that required Tommy John surgery. He spent 2023 rehabbing the injury, and the decision was made by the Cubs to just focus on pitching.
After a brief stint in the Arizona Complex League, Mulé made his Pelicans debut on May 31st against the Charleston RiverDogs, tossing two innings. His workload has continued to increase through his first few starts, with four innings pitched in back-to-back starts leading up to the series with Kannapolis in mid-July.
“I do have a slightly different routine as a pitcher,” Mulé said. “When I was playing the field and hitting, I was getting my body moving in different ways. Now, I have a more established routine and I feel like it’s a lot better for my body by keeping me ready to go for the whole season.”
The specialty for Mulé continues to be his red-hot fastball, which he’s continuing to manage post-surgery. To work on his control, Mulé works in the bullpen with dummies on both sides of the plate and focuses on targets to hit his spot.
The young righty has pitched in MLB ballparks before for showcases and has quickly adapted to the professional environment in Myrtle Beach.
“I feel like we have the best fan base out of all the teams I’ve been to so far,” Mulé said. “It’s fun to be in an environment like that, it drives myself to be better knowing that there’s people there supporting.”
Mulé relies not only on the support from the fans, but the coaches and players around him. Working with manager Buddy Bailey and pitching coaches George Thanopolous and Armando Gabino have been crucial to his full-season introduction.
For the rest of the season, Nazier is focused on staying healthy and progressing with his pitch development for a successful 2024.