Luke Richard Maile (born February 6, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Kansas City Royals organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, and Cincinnati Reds. Before his professional career, Maile played 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 Enquirer's Player of the Year three times and was named Kentucky's Mr. Baseball in his senior year.[2] He graduated in 2009.[3]

The Boston Red Sox selected Maile in the 43rd round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft,[4] but he did not sign, because they did not offer enough money.[2] Instead, Maile played college baseball for the Kentucky Wildcats. In 2011, he played in three collegiate summer baseball games for 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 and the Dick Howser Trophy.[6] That season, he hit .319 with 12 home runs and 9 stolen bases in 62 games.[7]

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 rest of 2012, 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] That autumn, 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 2 home runs and 12 RBIs.[7] With the Rays, he appeared in 42 games with a .227 batting average, 3 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, hemade 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] Backing up Austin Hedges, Maile hit .221 with 3 home runs in 76 games.[27] He got his first postseason hit, a single in a 5–1 loss to the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.[28] The Guardians did not tender Maile a contract for 2023 by the non-tender deadline of November 18, 2022, so he became a free agent.[29]

Cincinnati Reds

On November 20, 2022, Maile signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds.[30] In 74 games for Cincinnati, he hit .235/.308/.391 with a career-high 6 home runs and 25 RBI.[31]

On October 19, 2023, Maile re-signed with the Reds on a one-year. $3.5 million contract for the 2024 season.[32] In 53 appearances for Cincinnati, he slashed .178/.268/.252 with two home runs, eight RBI, and two stolen bases. The Reds declined Maile's 2025 option on November 1, 2024, making him a free agent.[33]

Kansas City Royals

On February 16, 2025, Maile signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals.[34] He requested and was granted his release by the Royals on March 23, after failing to make the Opening Day roster.[35] On March 25, Maile re-signed a minor league contract with the Royals.[36]

Personal life

Maile was married on November 1, 2014, to Paige Maile, née Archinal.[37] His father, Rich Maile, played football at the University of Kentucky and University of Dayton.[38][39] His grandfather Dick Maile was an All-American basketball player for Louisiana State University and was a late pick in the 1965 NBA draft.[40][41]

Maile's mother is Laurie Maile, and he has two brothers and two sisters.[42] He is the first cousin of Michael Mayer, a professional football player who currently is a tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders.[38][43]

Maile played golf and basketball in high school.[42]

References

  1. ^ Fields, Mike (May 15, 2009). "Future Cat a surefire hit at CovCath". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Ernst, Ryan (August 16, 2009). "Red Sox won't sign Maile". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  3. ^ Danneman, Joe (September 1, 2015). "Cov Cath's Maile promoted to big leagues". WXIX-TV. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  4. ^ Ernst, Ryan (June 12, 2009). "Red Sox draft CovCath's Maile". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 1, 2015. (subscription required)
  5. ^ "Luke Maile". Pointstreak. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Luke Maile picked in eighth round by the Tampa Bay Rays". Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "Luke Maile College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics". Baseball Reference.
  8. ^ Long, A. Stacy (May 25, 2014). "Biscuits' Maile continues hot hitting streak". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  9. ^ Long, A. Stacy (August 31, 2014). "Biscuits' Maile jumps up to Bulls". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  10. ^ "Rays callups: Shaffer, Moore, Mahtook, Maile, Riefenhauser, Yates". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  11. ^ a b "Luke Maile Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  12. ^ Chastain, Bill (April 2, 2017). "Rays DFA Maile to make room for Bourjos". MLB.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  13. ^ Topkin, Marc (April 6, 2017). "Luke Maile claimed on waivers by Blue Jays". tampabay.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  14. ^ Davidi, Shi (April 28, 2017). "Blue Jays to part ways with Saltalamacchia, recall Maile". Sportsnet. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  15. ^ "Blue Jays' Luke Maile likely to undergo procedure on injured right knee". Sportsnet. July 5, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  16. ^ "Teoscar Hernandez highlights first wave of Blue Jays' September call-ups". Sportsnet. August 31, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  17. ^ "2017 Toronto Blue Jays Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  18. ^ "Exit Interviews: Blue Jays position players assess their own seasons". SportsNet.ca. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  19. ^ "Blue Jays Activate Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Luke Maile". MLB Trade Rumors. September 14, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  20. ^ "2019 Toronto Blue Jays Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  21. ^ "Blue Jays tender Matt Shoemaker, non-tender three players". Sportsnet. December 2, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  22. ^ "Pirates sign catcher Luke Maile". TribLIVE.com. December 16, 2019.
  23. ^ Polishuk, Mark (July 18, 2020). "Pirates' Luke Maile Undergoes Finger Surgery". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  24. ^ "Free agent catcher Luke Maile gets deal with Brewers that pays $825,000 in majors". Wisconsin State Journal. Associated Press. December 9, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  25. ^ "Luke Maile Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  26. ^ Krispinsky, Chad (March 14, 2022). "Guardians sign veteran catcher to free agent contract". WKBN.com.
  27. ^ "2022 Cleveland Guardians Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  28. ^ "Luke Maile Postseason Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  29. ^ McDonald, Darragh (November 18, 2022). "American League Non-Tenders: 11/18/22". MLB Trade Rumors.
  30. ^ Franco, Anthony (November 28, 2022). "Reds Sign Luke Maile". MLB Trade Rumors.
  31. ^ Sheldon, Mark (October 19, 2023). "Clubhouse leader Maile to return on one-year deal". MLB.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  32. ^ "Reds' Luke Maile: Re-signs with Cincinnati". CBSSports.com. October 19, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  33. ^ "Nick Martinez Declines Player Option; Brent Suter Re-Signs New Deal With Reds". MLB Trade Rumors. November 1, 2024.
  34. ^ Polishuk, Mark (February 16, 2025). "Royals Sign Luke Maile To Minor League Deal". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  35. ^ "Royals Release Ross Stripling, Luke Maile". MLB Trade Rumors. March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  36. ^ https://www.milb.com/transactions/2025-03-25
  37. ^ Long, A. Stacy (August 29, 2014). "BISCUITS NOTES: Maile will skip AFL All-Star Game". The Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  38. ^ a b Fields, Mike (April 25, 2018). "The Maile/Mayer Magic Carpet Ride". Kentucky High School Athletics Association. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  39. ^ Rosecrans, C. Trent (February 14, 2024). "One thing to know about every pitcher and catcher in Reds' camp". The Athletic. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  40. ^ Clabes, Judy (May 13, 2022). "NKY's premiere sports family? Let's start with Dick Maile, CovCath and LSU standout". NKyTribune. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  41. ^ "Dick Maile Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  42. ^ a b "Luke Maile". UK Athletics. August 10, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  43. ^ "Michael Mayer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Maile
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