The Royals announced they have acquired 27-year-old right-hander Mitch Spence from the Athletics in exchange for right-handed pitcher A.J. Causey. Spence pitched in 32 games last year for the A’s, eight starts, with a 5.10 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 84.2 innings. He was designated for assignment earlier this week.
Spence was originally a 10th-round pick by the Yankees in 2019 out of the University of South Carolina-Aiken. The Athletics grabbed him in the 2023 Rule 5 draft, and he stuck. In 2024, he posted a solid 4.58 ERA in 35 games, making 24 starts. He struck out 126 batters in 151.1 innings with 2.6 walks per nine innings.
J.J. Picollo has talked about acquiring more pitching depth with options, and Spence has two option years remaining. He is flexible as both a starter and a reliever. He relies heavily on a cutter while mixing in a slider, curve, and sinker, and he was in the 83rd percentile last year in chase rate. His career groundball rate is 46 percent. Last year he was noticeably better on the road with a 3.64 ERA compared to a 6.93 ERA in Sacramento.
Causey was a fifth-round pick in 2024 out of the University of Tennessee. The sidarmer had an excellent season in the minors, posting a 1.72 ERA in 48 relief appearances across High-A and Double-A, with 75 strikeouts and just 18 walks in 73.1 innings.
The Royals also announced they have officially placed pitcher Alec Marsh on the 60-day Injured List to make room for Spence. Marsh is expected to miss most of the season following shoulder surgery.