How are you gonna throw a pitch clock violation at the man?!
After more than 1,100 games in minor league baseball (13 years worth of contests to be exact), Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Drew Maggi finally made his Major League Baseball debut Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, the magic was dampened quickly in Maggi’s first at-bat.
Maggi went into the game in the eighth inning to pinch-hit for Andrew McCutchen, and as cool as that sounds, Maggi was hit with a pitch-clock violation while on an 0-1 count — bringing the pitch count to 0-2. On the next pitch, he hit a foul, and then took a ball on the fourth. On the fifth, Maggi swung and missed on a slider.
Drew Maggi spent 13 seasons in the minor leagues before getting a chance to make his MLB debut
When he finally got his first at-bat, he got a pitch-clock violation called on him pic.twitter.com/VSq3NLis6N
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 27, 2023
The 33-year-old was called up Sunday by the Pirates after star Bryan Reynolds was placed on the Bereavement List and first basemen Ji-Man Choi transferred to the 50-day injured list because of a left Achilles strain. (RELATED: NJ Little League Now Forcing Parents Who Confront Umpires To Suit Up Before They’re Allowed To Come Back To Watch)
Maggi was drafted in the 2010 MLB Draft by Pittsburgh in the 15th round, after four years in the Pirates’ farm system from 2010-2014. After that, Maggi took a tour around the minors, playing with teams affiliated with the Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians before ultimately coming back to Pittsburgh’s farm in 2022.
“Anything is possible. Never give up.”
Drew Maggi will forever be a Major Leaguer. pic.twitter.com/8qQxQsPKso
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 27, 2023
Such a cool story. A cool, cool story — well, except for that whole pitch clock violation thing.