GuideRail Feature: Josh Maciejewski has paid his dues to earn first MLB call

Everyone has a different story to tell. Like that, the stories of Minor League Baseball players are all different. Some may contain similar elements along the way like the transition from one position to another or an injury or setback. Everyone faces adversity and the need to prove themselves or find confidence in what they do.

The story for Josh Maciejewski has been one of movement and perseverance.

“Magic” to those who know him or struggle to pronounce his last name, has been a model of patience and desire to excel and it is truly beginning to pay off.

[It’s mah-CHEE-ess-key by the way.]

After playing college baseball for UNC-Charlotte, the New York Yankees drafted Maciejewski in the 10th round of the 2018 draft. Even though he was recruited by some colleges for both his hitting and pitching, his time playing for UNC-Charlotte was when he started to focus full-time on pitching. When he wasn’t drafted after his junior year, he began to lock in his focus, believing he had the skill set to play for a Major League team.

“I always knew I was good enough,” Maciejewski stated. “I just didn’t put it all together yet.”

His time in the Minors has been a whirlwind, to say the least. Since being drafted, he has played for six different Yankee affiliates. In fact, the start of this season marked Maciejewski’s fifth different season pitching for the RailRiders, but his first time being on the team’s Opening Day roster. The southpaw feels this year is different from previous seasons because he is more relaxed and his experience has him ready for any pitching situation he faces.

“I am just more comfortable starting the season here,” Maciejewski said. “Previously, I would get called up at random times, telling me I’m pitching the next day. That was great and I’m happy for the experience and the opportunity. But it’s nice to start the year off in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and get things going.”

Maciejewski’s perspective has evolved since the beginning of his career.

At first, he just wanted to get the ball over the plate and throw strikes.

“Back in 2019, I had never played at the Triple-A level before and it’s so close to the big leagues,” Maciejewski reflected. “I didn’t know what to expect and I just came up here and competed. The Yankees like to have former Major Leaguers and guys that should be in the big leagues here. Over the years I learned that I could pitch here and succeed.”

Another experience Maciejewski feels helped develop his new mindset was playing winter ball this offseason for Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela. He was approached during the off-season by RailRiders bullpen coach Gerardo Casadiego. “Casa,” as he is known, had worked with Maciejewski over the years at the various levels in the Yankees organization and made the suggestion to continue playing.

“I never really thought about playing winter ball before, and he asked if I wanted to join the team,” Maciejewski said. “Next thing you know, I was going to play in Venezuela.”

He says the intensity and passion of the crowd in South America is incredible.

“The environment and the fans over there are on another level,” Maciejewski said. “Facing Ronald Acuna in his hometown. Facing multiple big leaguers in their hometown. It’s a different type of baseball there.”

He believes learning how to win in Venezuela has helped him become aware that he can compete at another level. Playing winter ball could be the reason why Maciejewski has settled in early this season.

On Opening Day in Buffalo, RailRiders starter Will Warren was struggling in the first inning and was lifted from the game after allowing five runs. Maciejewski came on in relief getting Scranton/Wilkes-Barre out of the first and following with two scoreless innings of work. The RailRiders would eventually come from behind and win that game against the Bisons.

On April 5 at PNC Field, he came on in relief against Syracuse, earning the win and striking out four over two shutout frames.

When he first appeared for the RailRiders in 2019, Maciejewski was still a starting pitcher. His Triple-A debut was against Gwinnett on August 10, when he allowed one run on five hits with six strikeouts over six innings. He made two more appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre that summer with limited success, but his numbers across three different A-ball levels were strong enough to make MLB.com’s Yankees’ Organizational All-Star list at the close of the campaign.

After the pandemic, Maciejewski pitched mostly for Hudson Valley, twice garnering Pitcher of the Week honors. He also made four starts for the RailRiders that year, giving up 14 runs over 18 innings.

In 2022, he made one appearance for the RailRiders, allowing four runs in a start against Jacksonville at PNC Field over 2.2 innings. The left-hander transitioned to the bullpen that year, but ultimately missed half the season with an injury.

Coming back as a full-fledged reliever in 2023, he blossomed.

Split between three levels last season, Maciejewski appeared in 30 games, all in relief. Over 45.2 combined innings between Hudson Valley, Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he allowed just 19 runs while striking out 46 and walking 17.

Many starting pitchers make the transition to the bullpen, especially in the Yankees system as they approach the Majors. Consider a few transitions in the last decade, like Jonathan Loaisiga, Michael King, Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt and Matt Krook. All were longtime starting pitchers in the Minors but got looks as relievers in the big leagues. While some transition back to starting others find high levels of success in the pressure innings.

“I would say it's been a little bit of adjustment,” he said, “because, when I was a starter, my first inning was normally my worst. I guess coming out of the bullpen helped me get over that hump with the first being the worst because I don't have that option. It somehow allowed me to settle in faster.”

“I think it gives me more options,” Maciejewski added. “You know, if they decide to call my name, I know I'll be ready and I can fill any role they need.”

That is the part of the story that every player wants and is striving for.

On April 8, Maciejewski got that call.

The Yankees signed him to a Major League contract and selected him from the RailRiders, standard procedure for a player on a Minor League agreement. That same night, he followed Nestor Cortes and pitched the ninth against the Miami Marlins in a 7-0 Yankees win, recording three outs on four pitches.

He induced Nick Fortes to ground out to first on his first pitch, Nick Gordon grounded out to third on the second pitch Maciejewski threw in his at-bat and Bryan De La Cruz rolled one to third on the only pitch he saw to end the game.

“I feel like I blinked and it was over,” Maciejewski told reporters after the game. “I definitely thought I’d go a little longer than that.”

Time in the Majors can be long or fleeting. While we do not know the end of Maciejewski’s story, a new chapter of his career has begun.