Much of the talent across Major League Baseball stems from athletes at various levels of play. From high school to the most elite universities, talented players are drafted in hopes of making an impact on their team.
The Oakland Athletics have given a chance to former Division II pitcher, Mitch Spence, who is proving to be an asset for them. After making his MLB debut in late March, Spence has now taken on a new role as a starter in the A’s rotation. He got the nod from the struggling Oakland team after his success in the bullpen.
Will Spence continue his success and keep a permanent position in the rotation for Oakland?
Journey to Oakland
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Spence was drafted in 2019 to the Yankees organization. He spent four seasons in the minor leagues, anticipating the moment he would face major league hitters. After being with the Yankees organization for years, he was picked up by Oakland with the first overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft in 2023.
After years of hard work, Spence’s dreams finally came true on March 29. He made his MLB debut against the Cleveland Guardians. He went three innings giving up only two hits while garnering three K’s.
Since then, Spence has made 12 more appearances, recording 33 innings pitched. Out of the bullpen, Spence has been lights out. In April, he recorded an ERA of 2.81. The success he has had out of the bullpen advocated a strong case for him to make his first career start.
On May 17, Spence got the opportunity to start his first MLB game against the Kansas City Royals. He tossed 4.2 innings giving up only one earned run and registering four Ks. The A’s are going to continue to use him in the starting rotation, as he made his second start on May 22.
The Athletics are hopeful that as Spence continues to make his mark in the rotation, he will settle in and go deeper into games, maximizing his talent and arsenal of pitches to aid in their struggling season.
Small School To Major League Mound
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Spence, a Native of Kirkland Wash., played baseball at the University of South Carolina Aiken from 2017 to 2019. USC Aiken is a small Division II institution in the heart of Aiken County, S.C. They are a part of the Peach Belt Conference, a division composed of many talented teams.
While at USC Aiken, Spence made a fundamental impact on his team. He led the Pacers to many critical wins while collecting many honors and accolades both in his conference and regionally.
The Peach Belt Conference has harbored many other major DII talents that have impacted the MLB. The most notable of those are All-Stars, Charlie Blackmon and Nick Markakis. They both attended Young Harris College before being in the PBC.
Oakland Moving Forward
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After years of hard work and varying levels of play, Spence has solidified his spot on the Athletics‘ roster. Oakland hopes to continue to use him in the starting rotation moving forward. The Athletics, with a record of 22-33, are 6.5 games back from their divisional leader, the Seattle Mariners.
Spence is expected to take the mound on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays to kick off a three-game series at Tropicana Field.
About The Author
Rebekah Cook is a sports journalist from North Carolina who specializes in Major League Baseball. She is a recent graduate from the University of South Carolina Aiken where she worked in the athletic department covering all sports through her writing. An avid sports fan, Rebekah has played softball for 16 years, including at the collegiate level. Sports Journalism has been her passion for nearly 10 years
