Luke Maile Explained

Luke Maile
Position:Catcher
Team:Cincinnati Reds
Number:22
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Birth Date:6 February 1991
Birth Place:Edgewood, Kentucky, U.S.
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:September 1
Debutyear:2015
Debutteam:Tampa Bay Rays
Statleague:MLB
Statyear:August 9, 2024
Stat1label:Batting average
Stat1value:.208
Stat2label:Home runs
Stat2value:21
Stat3label:Runs batted in
Stat3value:113
Teams:

Luke Richard Maile (born February 6, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians. Before his professional career, Maile played amateur baseball for Covington Catholic High School and the University of Kentucky.

Amateur career

Maile attended Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Kentucky. While there he set school records for batting average, on-base percentage, hits, walks, runs scored, runs batted in (RBIs), doubles, and triples.[1] Maile was named The Cincinnati Enquirers Player of the Year in three of his four years at Covington Catholic, and was named Kentucky's Mr. Baseball in his senior year. He graduated in 2009.[2]

The Boston Red Sox selected Maile in the 43rd round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft,[3] but he did not sign, because they were not offering enough money.[4] Instead, Maile enrolled at the University of Kentucky, where he played college baseball for the Kentucky Wildcats baseball team. In 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[5] In 2012, his junior year, Maile won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Week Award twice, was an All-SEC Second Team member, and was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award as well as the Dick Howser Trophy.

Professional career

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays selected Maile in the eighth round, with the 272nd overall selection, of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.[6] He was assigned to the Short Season-A Hudson Valley Renegades for the entire 2012 season, appearing in 61 games and batting .278 with three home runs and 41 RBIs.[7] In 2013, Maile played in 95 games for the Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods. He finished the year with a .283 batting average, four home runs, and 49 RBIs.[7] During the offseason, Maile played for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League.[7]

In 2014, Maile played for the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double-A Southern League.[8] The Rays promoted him to the Durham Bulls of the Triple-A International League at the end of August, but he did not appear in any games for the Bulls in 2014.[9] In 97 games for Montgomery, Maile hit .268 with five home runs and 37 RBIs.[7] Maile played for the Bulls in 2015, hitting .207 in 89 games,[7] and was promoted to the major leagues on September 1.[10] He appeared in 15 games for the Rays in 2015, and hit .171 with two RBIs.[11]

Maile split time between Durham and Tampa Bay in 2016. He played in 58 games for the Bulls, hitting .242 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.[7] With the Rays, he appeared in 42 games and recorded a .227 batting average with three home runs and 15 RBIs.[11] The Rays designated Maile for assignment on April 2, 2017.[12]

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays claimed Maile off waivers on April 6, 2017.[13] On April 28, Maile was recalled from the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons after Jarrod Saltalamacchia was designated for assignment.[14] Maile was placed on the disabled list on July 4 with knee inflammation. An MRI later that day determined he had a torn meniscus.[15] He was activated from the disabled list on September 1.[16] For the 2017 season, Maile hit .146 with two home runs in 46 games.[17]

Maile served as the backup catcher for the 2018 season. He hit .248 with three home runs and 27 RBIs.[18] Maile appeared in only 44 games in 2019 due to an oblique injury,[19] hitting .151 with two home runs.[20] He was non-tendered on December 2 and became a free agent.[21]

Pittsburgh Pirates

On December 16, 2019, Maile signed a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.[22] On July 18, 2020, the team announced that Maile would undergo season ending finger surgery after being hit by a pitch in an exhibition game.[23] On October 30, 2020, Maile was outrighted off of the 40-man roster.

Milwaukee Brewers

Maile signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers on December 8, 2020. On April 30, 2021, Maile made his Brewers debut, coming in as a pinch runner and staying in the game as the catcher.[24] Maile played in 15 games for the Brewers, hitting .300 with three RBIs. On November 5, Maile elected free agency after rejecting an outright assignment to Triple-A.[25]

Cleveland Guardians

Maile signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Guardians on March 14, 2022.[26] The Guardians declined to tender Maile a contract for the 2023 season by the non-tender deadline of November 18, 2022; Maile subsequently became a free agent.[27]

Cincinnati Reds

On November 20, 2022, Maile signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds.[28] In 74 games for Cincinnati, he hit .235/.308/.391 with a career–high 6 home runs and 25 RBI.[29]

On October 19, 2023, Maile re–signed with the Reds on a one–year. $3.5 million contract for the 2024 season.[30]

Personal life

Maile was married on November 1, 2014, to Paige Maile, née Archinal.[31]

Maile is the first cousin of Michael Mayer, a professional football player who currently is a tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders.[32]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lexington, KY local and state news by the Lexington Herald-Leader - Kentucky.com. kentucky.com. March 2, 2015.
  2. News: Cov Cath's Maile promoted to big leagues. Joe. Danneman. WXIX-TV. Cincinnati. September 1, 2015. February 20, 2021.
  3. Web site: Red Sox draft CovCath's Maile. Cincinnati Enquirer. Ryan . Ernst. June 12, 2009. September 1, 2015.
  4. Web site: Red Sox won't sign Maile. Cincinnati Enquirer. Ryan . Ernst. August 16, 2009. September 1, 2015.
  5. Web site: Luke Maile . pointstreak.com . September 23, 2021.
  6. Web site: Luke Maile picked in eighth round by the Tampa Bay Rays. October 25, 2014.
  7. Web site: Luke Maile Minor & Fall League Statistics & History. Baseball-Reference.com. July 5, 2017.
  8. Web site: Biscuits' Maile continues hot hitting streak. A. Stacy Long. May 25, 2014. October 25, 2014.
  9. Web site: Biscuits' Maile jumps up to Bulls. A. Stacy Long. Montgomery Advertiser. August 31, 2014. October 25, 2014.
  10. Web site: Rays callups: Shaffer, Moore, Mahtook, Maile, Riefenhauser, Yates. https://web.archive.org/web/20150905065226/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/rays-callups-shaffer-moore-mahtook-maile-riefenhauser-yates/2243619. dead. September 5, 2015. Tampa Bay Times. September 1, 2015.
  11. Web site: Luke Maile Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. July 5, 2017.
  12. Web site: Rays DFA Maile to make room for Bourjos. Chastain. Bill. MLB.com. April 2, 2017. April 6, 2017.
  13. Web site: Luke Maile claimed on waivers by Blue Jays. https://web.archive.org/web/20170407143356/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/luke-maile-claimed-on-waivers-by-blue-jays/2319426. dead. April 7, 2017. Topkin. Marc. tampabay.com. April 6, 2017. April 6, 2017.
  14. Web site: Blue Jays to part ways with Saltalamacchia, recall Maile. Davidi. Shi. Sportsnet. April 28, 2017. April 28, 2017.
  15. Web site: Blue Jays' Luke Maile likely to undergo procedure on injured right knee. Sportsnet. July 5, 2017. July 5, 2017.
  16. Web site: Teoscar Hernandez highlights first wave of Blue Jays' September call-ups. Sportsnet. August 31, 2017. September 1, 2017.
  17. Web site: 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com. en. April 14, 2019.
  18. Web site: Exit Interviews: Blue Jays position players assess their own seasons. October 1, 2018. October 1, 2018.
  19. Web site: Blue Jays Activate Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Luke Maile. MLB Trade Rumors. September 14, 2019 . en-US. November 14, 2019.
  20. Web site: 2019 Toronto Blue Jays Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com. en. November 14, 2019.
  21. Web site: Blue Jays tender Matt Shoemaker, non-tender three players. Sportsnet. December 2, 2019. December 2, 2019.
  22. Web site: Pirates sign catcher Luke Maile. December 16, 2019. TribLIVE.com.
  23. Web site: Mark Polishuk . Pirates' Luke Maile Undergoes Finger Surgery . MLB Trade Rumors . July 18, 2020 . March 13, 2022.
  24. Web site: December 9, 2020 . Free agent catcher Luke Maile gets deal with Brewers that pays $825,000 in majors . June 3, 2024 . Wisconsin State Journal. Associated Press . en.
  25. Web site: Luke Maile Stats, Fantasy & News MLB.com. MLB.com.
  26. News: Krispinsky . Chad . Guardians sign veteran catcher to free agent contract . WKBN.com . March 14, 2022.
  27. News: McDonald . Darragh . American League Non-Tenders: 11/18/22 . MLB Trade Rumors . November 18, 2022.
  28. News: Franco . Anthony . Reds Sign Luke Maile . MLB Trade Rumors . November 28, 2022.
  29. Web site: Clubhouse leader Maile to return on one-year deal. October 19, 2023. mlb.com. en.
  30. Web site: October 19, 2023 . Reds' Luke Maile: Re-signs with Cincinnati . October 19, 2023 . CBSSports.com . en.
  31. Web site: BISCUITS NOTES: Maile will skip AFL All-Star Game. A. Stacy Long. August 29, 2014. The Montgomery Advertiser. March 2, 2015.
  32. Web site: THE MAILE/MAYER MAGIC CARPET RIDE. Mike Fields. April 25, 2018. Kentucky High School Athletics Association. April 30, 2023.