The Pittsburgh Pirates signed veteran right-hander Mike Clevinger to a minor league contract at the start of February. He is currently in spring training as one of Pittsburgh’s non-roster invitees. Expectations going into the spring were low for Clevinger. The 2020s have not treated him well. He hasn’t pitched 100+ innings in a season since 2023. On top of that, he has dealt with off-field issues. However, Clevinger is doing a lot better in spring training than many likely expected.
Mike Clevinger Paving the Way to a Bounceback Season with the Pirates
Dominant Start to Spring
Clevinger has pitched five innings in Spring Training. That is only two-thirds fewer frames than he tossed in the Major Leagues in all of 2025. It’s a small sample size, but Clevinger has already struck out four opponents. He has also yet to allow an earned run. On the downside, Clevinger has also handed out four free passes.
Stuff Left in the Tank
Clevinger’s bottom-line results aren’t what’s important here. The important, and most surprising, thing is that his pitches look significantly better. Clevinger’s fastball regained a significant amount of velocity. The right-hander is now averaging 95.3 MPH. Last year, he sat at 93.5 MPH, and hasn’t averaged out above 94 MPH since 2020. On top of that, the pitch gained two inches of horizontal break at 8.5 inches and has a better ride through the zone, with only 12.7 inches of drop. The last time Clevinger threw his fastball with less than 13 inches of drop was in 2020.
Mike Clevinger showed why he’s an MLB vet at our Pro Day.
FB avg 95.6 mph with 18.3” IVB (+2” vs last year).
Mixed an 81.3 sweeper, firmer slider/cutter (88.6), and a 88.6 CH with 14.1” vert. separation from FB.The stuff is there. The velo is up. Ready for the next opportunity. pic.twitter.com/JAW6ESwBpT
— Anthony Becerra (@becerra_bsbl) February 2, 2026
Clevinger’s fastball isn’t the only pitch with improved metrics. His cutter went from 27.2 inches of vertical break to 30.6 inches in Spring Training. It is also maintaining similar velocity, coming in around the upper-80s, and has nearly identical horizontal break at 3.6 inches. Clevinger has sacrificed some horizontal movement on his sweeper to incorporate more vertical drop. Finally, his change-up has added about two inches of vertical break at 28.3 inches and a tick of velocity, now sitting at 88.3 MPH.
Taking a massive step forward is quite shocking to see from Clevinger. While he was once a dominant starting pitcher, he hasn’t had both a sub-4.00 ERA and FIP in 20+ starts since 2019. The right-hander has a laundry list of injuries. He spent some time on the injured list in 2025, but that is small compared to his previous few seasons. In 2024, he underwent surgery to repair a disc in his neck. He also missed time in 2024 due to elbow problems. Not to mention, he had Tommy John surgery after the 2020 season, which caused him to miss all of 2021. Clevinger then missed time in 2022, only pitching 114 1/3 innings. 2026 will also be his age-35 campaign.
Where Does That Leave Clevinger?
While Clevinger doing well and showing off improved stuff is promising, and a good thing for the Pirates, it’s still unlikely he makes the Opening Day roster. Top prospects Hunter Barco and Thomas Harrington are in the running for the last rotation spot. Carmen Mlodzinski is also off to a solid start. The Pirates signed Jose Urquidy to a major league contract. He’ll likely take priority over Clevinger. One of these names will likely head to the bullpen as a long reliever to open the season.
While he may not make the Pirates’ Opening Day roster, Clevinger showing off good stuff in spring training makes him a quality depth piece. They could do a lot worse for their emergency parachute. Clevinger will likely report to Triple-A Indianapolis to open the year. If an injury arises, and he is doing well, we may see him make an appearance this season in a Pirates uniform.
Main Photo Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports