A 32-Year-Old Rookie, Twins Promote Drew Maggi

[Seth Stohs]

In a lost season for the Twins, you have to find some silver-linings and follow some good stories. On Saturday, the Twins placed Rob Refsnyder on the IL and called up utility man Drew Maggi. It is the 32-year-old's first big-league call up. 

The road has been long and windy for Drew Maggi. The Phoenix native was drafted out of Brophy College Prep by the hometown Diamondbacks in the 47th round of the 2008 draft. Two years later, he was the Pirates 15th round pick out of Arizona State. And that began his pro journey. 

Maggi spent five seasons with the Pirates organization. He reached Double-A in 2014. 

He posted a .606 OPS in 125 games for the Angels Double-A affiliate in Arkansas in 2015. 

In 2016, he went to the Dodgers organization and split the season between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. There, he was a teammate of Twins minor league director Alex Hassan. 

He remained in Oklahoma City in 2017. 

In 2018, he played for Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate in Columbus. 

Then in 2019, he signed a minor league deal with the Twins. He began that season with 11 games at Double-A Pensacola. He then played 108 games with Triple-A Rochester and hit .258/.384/.405 (.788) with 19 doubles, four triples and 10 homers. 

In 2020, he was invited to Twins big-league spring training. As we know, the season was delayed and the minor league season was cancelled, but Maggi was invited and worked out at the Twins alternate site in St. Paul.

This spring, he was again invited to big-league spring training. He has played in 86 games for the St. Paul Saints. He has hit .261/.364/.486 (.850) with 12 doubles, two triples and 16 home runs. 

On Saturday morning, he was officially called up to the Twins. 

Now I know many will ask why I get excited for feel-good stories like this? Many will ask why Maggi instead of top hitting prospect Jose Miranda. I understand that. I initially wondered the same thing, but that dissipated pretty quickly for me. 

I love feel-good stories. The Twins have done it in the past. All teams have, and I think it's great. Remember five years ago when the Twins called up James Beresford for September. It gave him a chance to make big-league money for a month, but it was also a Thank You from the organization that he called home for ten years. 

Maggi has only been in the Twins organization for three seasons, but he's been in the game a long time. He's a good player. He's displayed power. He has played wherever he's been asked. He can play all four infield spots and even has spent some time in the outfield. 

He may rarely play with the Twins. Or, he could come up and get a shot and have a great two-week stretch. 

Maggi will likely be DFAd at season's end, and that's fine, but forever, he will be able to call himself a big leaguer.  

From the Twins perspective they have called up several players that they had signed to minor league contracts this year. And, a story like this isn't going to get lost on minor league free agents this offseason, or next offseason. 

Jose Miranda is a part of the future. He's going to contribute to the Twins for years to come. Drew Maggi is probably playing the final two weeks of his professional career, or maybe he'll be thrilled to come back to the Twins next year because he knows that they have done right by him and others. 

In a bad season, a dark season, we do need to find the positives. We should be excited for the person, and we should hope for good from Drew Maggi. I know I am happy for him! 

As mentioned Rob Refsnyder was placed on the Injured List to make room for Maggi on the 28-man roster. Taylor Rogers was placed on the 60-Day IL to make room for Maggi on the 40-man roster. 

 

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[Unwinder]

I like Drew Maggi a lot and really wanted this for him. He's earned it.

[roger]

Great move by the Twins.  Have believed they should keep four or five AAAA types in St. Paul for multiple years.  Solid players the Saints fans can follow long term.  Maggi could be one of them.

[tony&rodney]

Excellent move by the Twins. Maggi is a great example of the love of playing baseball. Congratulations to Drew Maggi and kudos to Seth for this post.

[strumdatjag]

I’m waiting for our first “Gift of the Maggi”!   

[Seth Stohs]

7 minutes ago, strumdatjag said:

I’m waiting for our first “Gift of the Maggi”!   

[mikelink45]

Terrific this is what September is for and why I want the clubs to add at least 5 - not 2 at the end of the season.  

[DocBauer]

I just love stories like this! It's part of the history and mystique of baseball, the "Crash Davis's" of the world getting their cup of coffee. I think this is well deserved and I'm happy for him. 

All the more reason I'm still upset with MLB for changing the September call up numbers. Come on MLB and fix this mistake for 2022 and beyond.

[h2oface]

Feel good stories rarely make for a competive winning team. I am happy for Maggi. I really am. I don't know that he feels like he earned it, or got it out of pity and kindness, but it makes him feel good, and that is nice. I don't see how this makes us better for the future..... but so it goes. It appears that many fans like it, and it makes them feel good, too. One could say that a season like this is for seeing young players who could be part of the future instead of for feel good stories. Those teams might win championships instead of division titles. 

They didn't play him, though, today. I guess the story with riding the MLB pine makes it a better feel good story? 

[bean5302]

Nice story for Maggi. Maybe it'll get him a little more exposure and get him a few plate appearances even next year? 

[DocBauer]

58 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Feel good stories rarely make for a competive winning team. I am happy for Maggi. I really am. I don't know that he feels like he earned it, or got it out of pity and kindness, but it makes him feel good, and that is nice. I don't see how this makes us better for the future..... but so it goes. It appears that many fans like it, and it makes them feel good, too. One could say that a season like this is for seeing young players who could be part of the future instead of for feel good stories. Those teams might win championships instead of division titles. 

They didn't play him, though, today. I guess the story with riding the MLB pine makes it a better feel good story? 

Dude, MLB has screwed with the September promotion in a big and bad way. We all know this. It used to be about promoting a few prospects for the next season. And it also allowed a guy or two to be rewarded for his milb career and get his cup of coffee at this level. 

Yes, it's OK to have a feel good story at the end of the season. Before MLB screwed with September call ups, it was about auditions as well as a reward here and there for a call up who was a "good soldier" and deserved his shot and cup of coffee.

And he absolutely deserved it. 

[nicksaviking]

If I’m honest, my first thought was “Ugh, just get the real prospects up already.”

 

Then I read Betsy Helfand’s piece and this one, cried a bit and realized I still love this game.

 

[RpR]

If they deserve a chance they will earn it in spring training; better than insulting paying audiences with rookies getting their butts handed to them.

This gent earned his chance to be in the big league, do not insult him with petty prejudice.

[h2oface]

54 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

Dude, MLB has screwed with the September promotion in a big and bad way. We all know this. It used to be about promoting a few prospects for the next season. And it also allowed a guy or two to be rewarded for his milb career and get his cup of coffee at this level. 

Yes, it's OK to have a feel good story at the end of the season. Before MLB screwed with September call ups, it was about auditions as well as a reward here and there for a call up who was a "good soldier" and deserved his shot and cup of coffee.

And he absolutely deserved it. 

"We?"

To have some of the most important baseball of the year in September be played with super inflated rosters was always ridiculous. Just like the neighborhood play and being allowed to not even try to get to second and hurt the defender, and to block the plate or kill the catcher was. All the sudden, when games mattered the most, the teams had too many pitchers and bench players and it was not representative of the baseball previous that qualified them to compete for the playoffs or what will come in the post season. For a team that is in last place to play an uncompetive feel good story and perhaps tank a game to a team that should be tested to earn the post season spot was not a good thing for baseball, ever. "We" all know this. I think 2 additions might be a bit low - 30 instead of 28 would be the best, I think. But the whole 40 man roster? This "we" boy hated it.

But like I said, most Minnesota fans love the feel good story even if it sacrifices the desired results. Have at it, Dude. I said I was happy for him already. I can be happy for the person and not like the process. Nuance.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Class move by the Twins FO.

[Rosterman]

You love it when an organization does this. Griffith did it in the old days, give the oldtimers looking for one last chance a few more games towards a pension plan.

 

The flip side, it is still a 40-man spot. Or a 28-man roster spot. Will Gant, Refsnyder, Garver, Thorpe still come back for one more harrah! Plus, Simmons is on his temporary leave. 

 

The Twins still can use a fifth official starter.

 

I hope he starts Sunday! Get him that one game. Then can decide if wants to return in 2022. We forget that minor league free agents do get decent pay most of the time, as well as extra pay for every day on the 40-man roster.

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

3 hours ago, h2oface said:

Feel good stories rarely make for a competive winning team. I am happy for Maggi. I really am. I don't know that he feels like he earned it, or got it out of pity and kindness, but it makes him feel good, and that is nice. I don't see how this makes us better for the future..... but so it goes. It appears that many fans like it, and it makes them feel good, too. One could say that a season like this is for seeing young players who could be part of the future instead of for feel good stories. Those teams might win championships instead of division titles. 

They didn't play him, though, today. I guess the story with riding the MLB pine makes it a better feel good story? 

He made $3,000 today... which is more than most minor leaguers make in 2-4 weeks. Oh, and he'll make another $3,000 tomorrow. And, I'm not sure if he'll still be up the next day, but if he is... $3,000. 

And yes, the 2021 Twins are not competitive. So all good with a feel-good story. 

[Seth Stohs]

30 minutes ago, Rosterman said:

I hope he starts Sunday! Get him that one game. Then can decide if wants to return in 2022. We forget that minor league free agents do get decent pay most of the time, as well as extra pay for every day on the 40-man roster.

 

 

I hope so too because most likely, he'll be DFAd on Monday when Simmons can come back from the temporary inactive list... Or, maybe they'll DFA Simmons and let Polanco, Gordon and Maggi play short the final 12-13 games. 

[Monkeypaws]

3 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

If I’m honest, my first thought was “Ugh, just get the real prospects up already.”

 

Then I read Betsy Helfand’s piece and this one, cried a bit and realized I still love this game.

 

Betsy's piece sent me here as well. Very happy for Drew.

Sitting in a major league dugout in a major league stadium, playing on a major league diamond against the best, if he were British he'd be "chuffed to bits."

At the least he'll be able to show his grandkids, should he have any, his Twins MLB jersey, the ball that was his first hit, etc. : trophies beyond compare for us fans.

[darwin22]

3 hours ago, DocBauer said:

Dude, MLB has screwed with the September promotion in a big and bad way. We all know this. It used to be about promoting a few prospects for the next season. And it also allowed a guy or two to be rewarded for his milb career and get his cup of coffee at this level. 

Yes, it's OK to have a feel good story at the end of the season. Before MLB screwed with September call ups, it was about auditions as well as a reward here and there for a call up who was a "good soldier" and deserved his shot and cup of coffee.

And he absolutely deserved it. 

Excellent post Doc!  In this colossal failure of a season, its absolutely the correct decision for management to reward such a driven professional.  Maggi, despite what others may say EARNED this promotion with the solid season he's put together at Saint Paul.  I've been calling for his promotion for the last 2 months.  Seth--thanks for the excellent article.  Knowing the work ethic that Maggi has put into his craft for over 11 seasons and 4000 minor league ABs------he will not take any minute he puts on a MLB uniform for granted.  Wish I could say that about every player that has had the PRIVILEGE of donning a Twins uniform.

[mikelink45]

.261

.364

.486

.850

  That line is excellent - don't complain because he finally gets his chance.  This is not pity, this is an earned promotion.   

[MN_ExPat]

13 hours ago, h2oface said:

Feel good stories rarely make for a competive winning team. I am happy for Maggi. I really am. I don't know that he feels like he earned it, or got it out of pity and kindness, but it makes him feel good, and that is nice. I don't see how this makes us better for the future..... but so it goes. It appears that many fans like it, and it makes them feel good, too. One could say that a season like this is for seeing young players who could be part of the future instead of for feel good stories. Those teams might win championships instead of division titles. 

They didn't play him, though, today. I guess the story with riding the MLB pine makes it a better feel good story? 

[MN_ExPat]

11 hours ago, h2oface said:

"We?"

To have some of the most important baseball of the year in September be played with super inflated rosters was always ridiculous. Just like the neighborhood play and being allowed to not even try to get to second and hurt the defender, and to block the plate or kill the catcher was. All the sudden, when games mattered the most, the teams had too many pitchers and bench players and it was not representative of the baseball previous that qualified them to compete for the playoffs or what will come in the post season. For a team that is in last place to play an uncompetive feel good story and perhaps tank a game to a team that should be tested to earn the post season spot was not a good thing for baseball, ever. "We" all know this. I think 2 additions might be a bit low - 30 instead of 28 would be the best, I think. But the whole 40 man roster? This "we" boy hated it.

But like I said, most Minnesota fans love the feel good story even if it sacrifices the desired results. Have at it, Dude. I said I was happy for him already. I can be happy for the person and not like the process. Nuance.

You forgot to add “GET OF MY LAWN!!”

ok, maybe the all caps was a bit much ?. 

[Rosterman]

So sad he didn't get in a game, although he still is on the 40-man (and getting an increased paycheck for the final two weeks in St. Paul).