Patrick Mazeika

Patrick Alan Mazeika (born October 14, 1993) is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He played college baseball at Stetson University, and was drafted by the New York Mets in the eighth round of the 2015 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Mets in 2021.

Patrick Mazeika
Mazeika with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023
Free agent
Catcher
Born: (1993-10-14) October 14, 1993
Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 5, 2021, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.190
Home runs2
Runs batted in12
Teams

Amateur career

Mazeika played varsity baseball as an eighth grader at Wilbraham & Monson Academy before transferring to Salisbury School for high school. At Salisbury, he played baseball, football and basketball. As a senior, he registered a batting average of .605.[1]

After high school, he played college baseball at Stetson University. As a freshman, he was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year. Prior to the start of that year's conference tournament, his .392 batting average led the conference as well as all freshmen in NCAA Division I.[1] In 2013, playing first base as a freshman, he batted .382(2nd in the Atlantic Sun Conference)/.489(1st)/.495 for Stetson, with 32 walks (10th) and 14 hit by pitch (3rd).[2][3] He was named Baseball America Freshman All-America, 1st team (2013), Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American (2013), NCBWA Freshman All-America, 1st team (2013), Atlantic Sun Conference Freshman of the Year (2013), Atlantic Sun All-Conference, 1st team (2013), and Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman (2013).[2] In 2013, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL),[4]

In 2014 with Stetson, playing catcher, he batted .354(9th in the conference)/.479(3rd)/.471 with 18 doubles (5th), 34 walks (5th), and 17 hit by pitch (1st).[5] He was named Atlantic Sun Conference, 2nd team (2014).[2] He returned to the CCBL in 2014 to play for the Chatham Anglers.[6] In 2015 with Stetson, he batted .307/.439(7th)/.485 with 53 RBIs (8th), 33 walks (6th), and 17 hit by pitch (2nd).[7]

Professional career

New York Mets

Mazeika was drafted by the New York Mets in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft as the 239th pick in the eighth round. He started playing in the Mets organization in 2015 with the Kingsport Mets, batting .354(3rd in the Appalachian League)/.452(3rd)/.540(7th) with 44 runs (6th), 27 doubles (1st), 48 RBIs (2nd), and 17 hit by pitch (1st).[8] He was named an Appalachian League Post-Season All-Star and an MiLB Organization All Star.[9] He was promoted to the Columbia Fireflies in 2016, played catcher, and batted .305/.414/.402.

Mazeika then split time during the 2017 season with the St. Lucie Mets in the FSL and, later, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, batting a combined .290/.389/.416. He was named an FSL mid-season All Star and post-season All Star.[9] He played the next two seasons in Binghamton, and was named an Eastern League mid-season All Star in both 2018 and 2019,[9] before a brief period in 2019 playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League for 25 games.

Mazeika was called up to the majors for the first time on August 25, 2020.[10] He was then demoted to the alternate training site on August 26.[11] Mazeika was called up for a second time on August 28,[12] but was demoted a second time on August 29.

On May 5, 2021, Mazeika was recalled to the majors after Brandon Nimmo was placed on the injured list.[13] Mazeika made his MLB debut that day as a pinch hitter for Miguel Castro, grounding out to St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in his only at-bat.

On May 7, 2021, in only his second at bat in the big leagues, Mazeika was the hero in the bottom of the 10th inning during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. With the bases loaded, he hit into a fielder's choice, bringing Pete Alonso home from third base. It was his first walk-off RBI, as well as his first RBI in the MLB. The Mets won the game 5–4, their biggest come-from-behind win of the season.[14] Then on May 11, during an interleague game against the Baltimore Orioles, Mazeika, in his fourth Major League plate appearance, was the hero again. He had another walk-off fielder's choice ground ball in the bottom of the 9th inning that drove Jonathan Villar in to score, allowing the Mets to prevail 3–2. He is the first player since RBI became official in 1920 with multiple walk-off RBI within his first four career games.[15] Although chronologically his first hit came on May 16, 2021, when he hit a solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays, he is actually credited with a double on April 11, 2021 during a suspended game against the Marlins that was resumed on August 31, 2021.[16]

On August 18, 2022, Mazeika was designated for assignment by the Mets.[17]

San Francisco Giants

On August 20, 2022, Mazeika was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants. He was designated for assignment on September 12.[18] Mazeika cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Sacramento River Cats on September 15.[19] In 13 games in Sacramento, he hit .235/.291/.392 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. Mazeika elected free agency following the season on November 10.[20]

Los Angeles Dodgers

On December 13, 2022, Mazeika signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[21] He played in 52 games for the Triple–A Oklahoma City Dodgers, hitting .214.[3] He was released on September 1, 2023.[22]

References
  1. Woronoff, Brent (May 21, 2013). "Child's play: Stetson's Mazeika top freshman hitter in the nation". Daytona Beach News-Journal Online. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  2. "Patrick Mazeika - Baseball". Stetson University Athletics.
  3. "Patrick Mazeika Amateur, College, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. "Patrick Mazeika - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  5. "2014 Atlantic Sun Conference Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. "#4 Patrick Mazeika - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  7. "2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "2015 Appalachian League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "Patrick Mazeika Stats, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com.
  10. "Former Stetson star Patrick Mazeika set to make MLB debut with New York Mets". Daytona Beach News-Journal Online. August 25, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  11. "Mets' Patrick Mazeika: Moved to alternate camp". CBS Sports. August 26, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  12. "Andres Gimenez, Michael Wacha, David Peterson and Jake Marisnick come off Mets' injured list". Newsday. August 29, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  13. McShane, Chris (5 May 2021). "Mets place Brandon Nimmo on injured list, call up Patrick Mazeika". Amazin' Avenue. SB Nation. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  14. FLM (May 8, 2021). "Mets look to take series from Diamondbacks". CBSSports.com. CBS Sports. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  15. DiComo, Anthony (May 12, 2021). "Rookie walk-off specialist makes MLB history". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  16. "Patrick Mazeika 2021 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  17. "Mets Claim Yolmer Sanchez, Designate Patrick Mazeika". MLB Trade Rumors. August 18, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  18. "Giants' Patrick Mazeika: Booted from 40-man roster". CBSSports.com. September 12, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  19. "Giants' Patrick Mazeika: Outrighted to Triple-A". CBSSports.com. September 15, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  20. Pontes, Geoff (November 13, 2022). "2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  21. "Patrick Mazeika Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  22. Minami, Craig (September 2, 2023). "Dodgers minors: Joendry Vargas, Kendall George, Jerming Rosario". Retrieved September 2, 2023.
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