Pirates call up 33-year-old Drew Maggi to major league roster
Drew Maggi sat at a hotel across the Allegheny River from PNC Park on Saturday night.
The 33-year-old infielder arrived in Pittsburgh around 7 p.m., having just been called up to the Pittsburgh Pirates from Double-A Altoona. Maggi, looking to possibly make his major league debut, reminisced as he started out at the ballpark.
"A lot of staring at the roof," Maggi said on Sunday morning. "Just kind of a lot of thought, a lot of thinking about different moments, how crazy it is. From my hotel room, I can see the stadium. A lot of just sitting in the chair, looking out, just being like, ‘Wow, I’m here.’"
Maggi was selected with outfielder Bryan Reynolds going on the Bereavement List. First baseman Ji-Man Choi was transferred to the 60-day injured list with a left Achilles strain to make room on the 40-man roster.
The Pirates are looking to cap a four-game series sweep of the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, as Maggi hopes to play a part. He will not be part of the starting lineup.
It’s been a long road for Maggi, who has played 1,155 games across 13 minor league seasons. He was selected by the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 18, 2021, but didn’t appear in a game.
"I always believed this moment would come," Maggi said. "There was a little bit of me that was like, ‘You know what? You love playing baseball. Keep going no matter what.’ Crazy things happen in this game. So I’m very thankful that I’m here and that I get to enjoy this. I’m excited for the day."
Maggi has six hits in 31 at-bats (.194) and three RBIs with Altoona this season. He has a career .254 average with 978 hits, 45 home runs, 354 RBIs and 222 stolen bases in the minors since being drafted out of Arizona State by the Pirates in the 15th round (No. 447 overall) in 2010.
Altoona manager Callix Crabbe announced Maggi’s recall in a video the Pirates shared on Twitter.
"It with great pleasure that I get to promote my first person to the major leagues, someone that is tremendously important to this group and someone that exemplifies grit," Crabbe said in the video.
Maggi, in tears at his locker stall, received a round of applause and several hugs from teammates.
"Definitely a lot of thinking back. Was getting a lot of texts, calling my family," Maggi said. "It’s two hours on the drive. Had a lot of time. Was going through old photos, old memories and moments, just throughout my career. Pictures of my family in different cities.
"It’s been a special 24 hours. It’s been crazy. I can’t explain it. I’m very thankful for the Pirates doing this for me. It’s crazy, man. Just being here and walking through the clubhouse. It’s been a dream come true."
Reporting by The Associated Press.
Read more:
- The Rays won yet another game and the vibes at Tropicana Field were immaculate
- Cole, Manoah scoreless after chirping, Yanks beat Jays 3-2
- Marcus Stroman, Jarred Kelenic among 10 most fascinating starts in MLB
- What we learned in MLB this week: The Blue Jays are mashing and might get better
- Shohei Ohtani playing in New York would be best for baseball
- MLB mailbag: Gerrit Cole's Cy Young chances, teams that need to worry early
- What's wrong with Juan Soto? One of MLB's best has yet to find his swing with Padres
- MLB power rankings: Rays remain hot; Dodgers and Astros still sputtering
- The good, bad and upside of five MLB teams struggling the most
- 2023 NFL mock draft: Football writers make all 31 first-round picks
- 2023 USFL odds: Title lines for every team; Stallions, Generals co-favorites
![Major League Baseball](https://b.fssta.com/uploads/application/leagues/logos/MLB.vresize.160.160.medium.0.png)