Just two Season In Reviews left guys! Now’s the time to go back and check to see we missed anyone but I don’t think so. Today’s recap goes to right-hander Mitch Spence, who was a starter for most of his
rookie season in 2024 but was relegated to bullpen work early last season before finally getting some starting opportunities. Are we in store for more of the same from the former Rule 5 pick this year? Or is he going to settle into a permanent role sometime during the upcoming campaign?
How Was He Acquired?
Thanks to their lousy record the previous year, the Athletics were awarded a fairly high chance to secure the coveted #1 overall pick, tied with the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates for the best odds. The A’s got the major short end of the stick after they dropped all the way to 6th (though it’s hard to be mad at the addition of Jacob Wilson with that pick).
Since the A’s got screwed there, they were then awarded the first overall pick in the December Rule 5 Draft, allowing the A’s to nab a player from another team’s farm system if they weren’t on the 40-man roster. And with that first overall pick the A’s predictably went pitching, plucking Spence from the New York Yankees’ Triple-A squad.
What Were The Expectations?
Spence looked decent in his first extended run as a rookie in 2024. While he might not ever reach the heights of a front-line starter in the big leagues, everyone in the building could easily imagine him continuing to grow into a reliable backend starter with#3 potential. Entering his sophomore campaign the expectations were to continue to soak up innings, but the hope was that he could show some growth now that he’d had a bit of big league experience under his belt. Add in the fact that he was presumably in line for a starting job, and it felt like Spence was on the cusp of putting together a 180-200 inning campaign at the back of a retooled starting rotation.
2025 Results
Spence began the year in what felt like a prime position to break camp in the starting rotation after making 24 starts the previous year, which was tied for second on the team with Joey Estes and behind JP Sears. While he only posted a 4.58 ERA across his 150+ innings his FIP was a much-better 4.12, plus he was just a durable arm that was capable of taking the ball every fifth day and providing innings.
His tough Spring Training didn’t seem like it would sink his chances, but plenty of us were surprised when manager Mark Kotsay announced the Opening Day rotation and Spence wasn’t in it. Though he was on the roster, he would occupy a spot in the bullpen for the beginning of the regular season.
He did not take to his new role all that well at first. Over his first seven appearances as a relief option he got hit hard. While he demonstrated his ability to provide length (16 1/3 IP) he also allowed 15 runs (9 earned). Those struggles followed him into May as well as he sported a 5.09 ERA during that month.
At the start of June, with the team needing a spot starter, and after being overlooked for spot starts earlier this year, Spence finally got his chance to return to the starting rotation. He took his chance and ran with it, putting up five straight quality starts, reminding the coaching staff about what he was able to do last year. In five June assignments Spence pitched 24 2/3 innings and allowed just eight earned runs, good for a flat 3.00 ERA. That made everyone who was asking for some Spence starts to feel justified in their belief in him.
Things wouldn’t be all roses for long though. Spence pitched five innings but allowed four runs in his first July start, then got absolutely demolished when he yielded eight earned runs in six innings against the Atlanta Braves. It came as somewhat of a shock but not entirely when the club elected to demote him to Triple-A after that horrible outing.
Pitching with the Aviators for the first time, Spence mostly continued as a starting pitcher for Las Vegas, though the struggles that had begun showing their heads continued to crop up down in Triple-A. In eight appearances (7 starts) the 27-year-old posted a tough 6.21 ERA in just 29 frames. He’d eventually get a promotion back to the Athletics in mid-September, ending on a low note by allowing nine runs in 10 innings over three appearances (one start). He wrapped up his second season with the A’s with a 5.10 ERA in 32 games (eight starts).
2026 Outlook
There are no lack of starting options for the Athletics entering this coming Spring Training, which doesn’t exactly bode well for Spence’s chances of being in his preferred role. Alas, that means that Spence’s chances of even breaking camp with the club are tenuous at best. Since he’s yet to really fully establish himself with the A’s yet and the optionable year he still has probably means he’s going to be shuttling back-and-forth plenty this coming year. If he can pitch well for the Aviators then he’s likely to get some opportunities with the big league squad, including maybe some spot starts. He’ll have to really take advantage of those when they arrive. Otherwise the team could elect to keep him as a reserve depth piece in Triple-A all season long.
