Former Gastonia pitchers make MLB debuts in 2024

GASTONIA, N.C. – Former Gastonia pitchers Spencer Bivens and Bryan Sammons made their MLB debuts in the 2024 season for the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers, respectively.

Bivens, a right-hander who made 17 appearances for Gastonia across 2021 and 2022, was signed by the Giants organization during the latter season and made his big-league debut on June 16, 2024. The righty pitched three innings in relief and allowed one run, getting the win in his debut. Bivens made 27 appearances for the Giants in 2024, two of them being starts.

Just two days after turning 30 years old, Bivens made his first start for the Giants on June 30. He threw five innings of one-run ball against the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, picking up the win. Bivens recorded three strikeouts, with two of them coming at the expense of soon-to-be three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani.

Bivens ended his outing with his second punchout of Ohtani, retiring the superstar on an 82 mile-per-hour sweeper low and inside while the Giants led their rivals 9-1. The right-hander was fired up, pumping his fist in the air as if he were firing a punch in a boxing ring to celebrate his performance.

The Virginia Beach, Virginia native went 3-1 with a 3.14 ERA in the 27 outings with San Francisco, walking 11 and striking out 37 while recording one save.

Sammons, a left-hander from Wilmington, North Carolina, made five appearances for Gastonia in the 2023 season. Sammons was signed by the Tigers organization while he was with Gastonia and ended up making his MLB debut on July 29.

The southpaw was used in long relief for the Tigers on the same day that Jack Flaherty was scratched in advance of trading the esteemed right-hander to the Dodgers.

Sammons went 7.1 innings against the Cleveland Guardians in the contest, which was the longest outing by a Tigers pitcher in a debut since Andy Van Hekken threw a complete game shutout in 2002 against – guess who – Cleveland.

Sammons allowed two home runs to six-time All-Star José Ramírez in the long-relief appearance, giving up five runs over the 7.1 innings.

The Wilmington, North Carolina native ended the season with strong numbers, owning a 3.62 ERA and striking out 18 batters in six games. His best outing was against Seattle on August 14, allowing one run in 5.2 innings and punching out four in a game the Tigers won via Akil Baddoo’s walk-off double in the 10th inning.

Sammons helped strengthen the Tigers bullpen during a span where Detroit went 31-11 and clinched its first playoff berth since 2014.