Perrotto: Drew Maggi is Someone Worth Pulling For (+)
Drew Maggi has reached the pinnacle of his sport. Yet, in a way, he hasn’t.
And that is what keeps driving the 33-year-old infielder/outfielder, who is in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ spring training camp as a non-roster invitee.
Maggi has spent 12 seasons in the minor leagues, playing in 1,147 games and logging 4,461 plate appearances. Yet he has yet to play a game in the major leagues.
However, Maggi has spent time on a major-league roster. The Minnesota Twins purchased his contract from Triple-A St. Paul during the 2021 season and he had a brief stint with the team.
Maggi never got into a game for the Twins, though.
Getting a chance for even one plate appearance in the major leagues – think Moonlight Graham in Field of Dreams – keeps Maggi coming back for more every spring.
“Oh, that’s a big part of it,” Maggi said recently at the Pirates’ spring training camp in Bradenton, Fla. “Getting to the major leagues was my goal since I was a little kid, so that’s always in my mind. It’s just like the ultimate dream and I got it.
“But I never got in a game, so it made me a little more hungry. It was shocking just to get called up because I was in my 11th year of pro ball. I didn’t get to play, though, so that’s the motivator that woke me up again and pushes me to get back.
“So maybe that’s a blessing in disguise. It keeps me going.”
It goes without saying that a player requires a deep love of the game to persevere through the minor leagues as long as Maggi.
Maggi was the Pirates’ 15th-round pick in the 2010 amateur draft from Arizona State. The Phoenix native spent five seasons in their farm system.
He then moved on to the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angels Dodgers, Cleveland, Twins and Philadelphia Phillies organizations.
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Maggi’s career came full circle last season when the Pirates acquired him from the Phillies in a trade to provide depth at Triple-A Indianapolis. In 28 games, Maggi hit just .219/.276/.323 with no home runs.
“Indy as a spot I never got to when I was with the Pirates (previously), so it was cool to finally get up there,” Maggi said.
While Maggi made little impact on the field, he drew raves for the veteran presence and leadership he showed in Indianapolis’ clubhouse. The Pirates re-signed him as a minor-league free agent despite the nondescript statistics.
Indianapolis manager Miguel Perez was teammates with Maggi at Double-A Altoona in 2013. Perez was then in the final season of his 12-year professional career as a catcher.
“I had a few offers from other teams, but this was just kind of familiar,” Maggi said. “The Pirates were my first time so I’m kind of tied to them in a way. Coming back here and seeing the guys they have in their farm system, some really talented guys, gets me excited. I kind of gave my heart to the Pirates a long time ago so it’s good to be back. It feels right.”
Maggi has a strong advocate in the organization in Shelton. The pair’s time in the Twins’ organization overlapped in 2019 when Shelton was the bench coach for the major-league team.
“I have a ton of admiration for him,” Shelton said. “The fact that we had the opportunity to bring him in and see him in camp and to know him as a person, it’s impressive. This guy is a grinder. When we sat him down, we asked him ‘where do you not play?’ His answer was ‘I can play everywhere.’ He wants to be out there. I think you really appreciate it.”
It never hurts to have friends in high places. Perhaps Maggi’s connection to Shelton will lead to that elusive appearance in a major-league game.
Should that happen, it will be one of the most feel-good stories of the Pirates’ 2023 season.
One of the cardinal rules of sports writing is you don’t cheer for teams and players. However, it is impossible not to pull for Maggi after all so many years of plugging away in the minors.
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