SALT LAKE CITY and TAMPA, Fla. – University of Utah baseball alumnus and West Valley, Utah, native Zac McCleve has signed a professional contract with the Tampa Bay Rays organization. McCleve joins the Rays as an undrafted free agent after the right-handed submarine pitcher spent 2019-23 with the Utes.
McCleve arrived at the U coming off an All-State and All-Region career at Cyprus High School under longtime head coach Bob Fratto. Over the next five seasons with the Utes, he would go on to make 107 appearances, resetting the program record in that category and earning Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2023.
He had a 5-8 career record with a 4.94 career ERA in 140.1 innings pitched. His 12 saves are tied for third-most in program history. McCleve struck out 141 batters, averaging out to 9.04 strikeouts per nine innings; of all Utah to pitchers to throw at least 100 career innings, it is the most in the Pac-12 era and second-most since 1996.
“I grew up a Utah fan all of my life,” said McCleve earlier in his career about choosing the Utes. “I was born with it in my blood. It was only right to [pitch at] the school that I grew up dreaming about.”
After making five saves as a true freshman in 2019, he came back on the scene in a closer role in 2022 with four saves (three were against top-20 ranked opponents). At one point during the 2022 season he logged a streak of 18.2 innings without allowing an earned run. That stretch had several highlight moments, but a two-inning save at Smith’s Ballpark against No. 2-ranked Oregon State might be among the top.
In a nationally-televised matinee that featured outstanding pitching on both sides, Utah clung to a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning, but faced a bases-loaded jam with nobody out. McCleve and the Utes escaped unharmed after a chopper back to the mound started a 1-2-3 double play, following that up with a groundout to end the threat. Then in the ninth, McCleve retired the Beavers in order to give Utah what was then its first win since 2018 over a top-five opponent.
As a redshirt senior in 2023 he earned three more saves, capped off in the series finale vs. Washington State to secure a three-game sweep. He pitched in all three games of that weekend set against the Cougars and also earned a win in the series opener. Utah combined for 13 saves as a…
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