Tim Mayza
Position: LHP
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 215 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/L
Born: 01/15/1992
College: Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Drafted: 12th round, 355th Overall, 2013 (Blue Jays)
How Acquired: Free Agent
Bonus: $100,000
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: N/A
Overview
Mayza is a lefty reliever who appeared in 367 major league games, all but 15 with Toronto, over seven seasons. For most of his time in the majors, he’s had good walk and K rates, and generated a lot of ground balls. He relies heavily on a sinker, which for most of his career averaged around 94 mph. In 2024, his velocity dropped to 92, but it rebounded in the last couple months of the season to 93.4. The only other pitch he throws much is a slider. He’s definitely a situational reliever: over the course of his career, left-handed hitters have a .573 OPS against him, right-handed hitters .820. The Pirates signed Mayza as a free agent for 2025.
2013-16
In 2013-14, Mayza pitched at three short season levels and struggled throughout. In 2015-16, though, he made a lot of progress and reached AA. In 2015, he put up a 3.07 ERA and 10.0 K/9 in Low A. The next year he has a 1.66 ERA in High A with a career low 2.8 BB/9. That got him a promotion to AA for his last 14 appearances, although he wasn’t effective there, walking a batter an inning.
2017-20
In 2017, Mayza returned to AA and pitched just decently there, with a 4.59 ERA over 29 games. The Jays moved him up to AAA anyway and he had an 0.93 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 11 games. Toronto called him up in mid-August and, despite a K/9 of 14.3, he had a 6.88 ERA in 19 games.
In 2018, Mayza rode the shuttle between the majors and AAA, appearing in 20 games in the minors and 39 with the Jays. He had a high K rate in AAA, but a 4.56 ERA. Mayza was more effective in the majors, with a 3.28 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, and good walk and K rates.
Mayza spent the 2019 season with Toronto, appearing in 68 games. The Jays appear to have used him as much as possible against lefties, so he threw only 51.1 IP. He had control problems, walking 4.7 per nine innings, and a 4.91 ERA. Late in the season, he blew out his UCL on one pitch and had to have Tommy John surgery. He missed all of 2020.
2021-23
Apart from a few AAA rehab appearances, Mayza spent 2021-23 with the Jays, appearing in between 61 and 69 games with them each year. He was consistently effective, with good control and ERAs of 3.40, 3.14 and 1.52 over the three seasons. His consistency was evident from his xFIP, which was between 2.90 and 2.98 each year. The Jays continued to use Mayza as a lefty specialist; in 193 total games, he threw only 155 innings.
2024
Mayza had a difficult 2024 season. His velocity dropped by about two mph, his K/9 plummeted to 5.8, and he had an ERA of 8.03 through 35 games. Some, but not all, of that was probably bad luck. Mayza had a high BABIP of .367 and a very low strand rate of 54.8%. His xFIP was 5.23. In early July, the Jays released him and the Yankees signed him to a minor league deal a week later. A month later the Yankees called him up and he pitched better than he had for the Jays. His K rate remained very low, but his ERA was 4.00 and his velocity ticked back up to near his career norms. After the season, the Yankees non-tendered him and he eventually signed with the Pirates.
Stats
Transactions
June 8, 2013: Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 12th round, 355th overall pick; signed on June 13.
August 14, 2017: Contract purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays.
November 20, 2019: Outrighted to AAA by the Toronto Blue Jays.
April 1, 2021: Called up by the Toronto Blue Jays.
July 5, 2024: Released by the Toronto Blue Jays.
July 12, 2024: Signed as a minor league free agent by the New York Yankees.
August 16, 2024: Called up by the New York Yankees.
November 22, 2024: Became a free agent.
February 3, 2025: Signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.