On the clock with Pirates pitcher Josh Fleming

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed veteran journeyman relief pitcher Josh Fleming to a one-year contract in mid-February. On the season, the versatile Fleming is 1-1 with a 4.44 ERA. He has pitched in 22 games, including two starts. 

Before Pittsburgh, Fleming was drafted out of Webster University in the 5th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. After going 12-7 between AA and AAA in 2019, Fleming made his big league debut in 2020. He made the most of his first MLB experience, going 5-0 in seven games (five starts) with a 2.78 ERA for the Rays. In 2021, he showed his versatility pitching, both in relief and making 11 starts, going 10-8 with a 5.09 ERA.

He spent parts of the 2022 and 2023 season in the minors, but still pitched in a total of 22 games for Tampa Bay, going 4-5 with a 5.52 ERA combined. 

The five-year veteran has a unique draft story about how he arrived to the major leagues and Draft Nation got to sit down with Fleming recently.

Josh Fleming is on the clock…

Draft Nation- Josh, Thank you for your time.. Did you pitch in high school?

Josh Fleming- “ I did, yeah I pitched and played first and a little bit of outfield.”

Draft Nation- Any scouts around looking at you?

Josh Fleming- “No, I was very undersized out of high school, going into my senior year of high school I hit my growth spurt, but before that I was 5-7, 5-8 and only topping out at 79-80 mph in my senior year. 

Draft Nation- How was your hitting?

Josh Fleming- “Nah….(laughing) not there.”

Draft Nation- Any offers come through for you to play college ball?

Josh Fleming- “I went to a division three school called Webster University.”

Draft Nation- You were at Webster University after the growth spurt, or during the growth spurt?

Josh Fleming- “I turned 18 in the summer of my senior year of high school and I went from 5-foot-8 to around 6-foot-1, but I still only weighed like 150 pounds.”

Draft Nation- What did the velocity increase to?

Josh Fleming- “It came my freshman year at the end going into my sophomore season, rose to 90mph, like outta nowhere.”

Draft Nation- You have an idea going into your third year of college that you could be drafted?

Josh Fleming- “ Yeah, I thought I had a good chance, but where or what round I had no clue."

Draft Nation- How hard was the day of the draft?

Josh Fleming- “ I had an advisor and he talked to a bunch of scouts and gave us an idea where I could go."

Draft Nation- Was the 5th round the high end of what you were being told?

Josh Fleming- “ Yeah he told us between 3-10 and it could slip, it was outta my hands and I was just hoping."

Draft Nation- Did you and your parents hang out all day on draft day? Did you have a party?

Josh Fleming- “Yeah we had a bunch of people over and it was tough, I got a few phone calls before the 5th and everybody was quiet and staring at me but it was just people calling, but it was such a special moment when I heard my name called, never forget that moment. I was called by the Rays at the end of the 4th round and my agent told me also they are looking to take me.”

Draft Nation- Were there any other players at Webster University that scouts were coming to see?

Josh Fleming- “We had some talent, but I was the only one drafted that year, in fact I am the only player ever drafted out of Webster University.”