Justin Robert Topa (born March 7, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners in MLB. Topa was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2013 MLB draft.

Amateur career

Topa was a four-year letter winner at Chenango Valley High School where he led his team to the Section 4 Class-B Championships in 2008 and 2009. He was named to the All-Conference team and third-team All-State squad as a pitcher while also earning All-Division as a second baseman. He also played on the the golf, hockey and basketball teams.[1]

Topa attended LIU Brooklyn where he finished his college baseball career with 20 wins, 200 strikeouts and 13 complete games. He was named NEC Rookie of the week three times, Louisville Slugger Player of the Week, Northeast Pitcher of the Week, and ECAC Co-Pitcher of the week honors during the 2010 season. He missed the 2012 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.[1][2][3] Despite the injury, the Cincinnati Reds drafted him in the 33rd round of the 2012 MLB draft, but he did not sign with the team.[4]

Career

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Topa in the 17th round, 509th overall, of the 2013 MLB Draft.[2] He signed with the team on June 13 and made his professional debut with the Jamestown Jammers of the New York–Penn League on June 18, 2013, in relief at the Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitching one inning, allowing one hit, and striking out one. Topa finished the season with a 5–2 win–loss record and 2.19 earned run average (ERA). Topa spent 2014 with the West Virginia Power. He missed the 2015 season recovering from a second Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. He played for the Bradenton Marauders in 2016. Topa was released by the Pirates on April 1, 2017.[5][3][6]

Rockland Boulders

In May 2017, Topa signed with the Rockland Boulders of the Can-Am League.[7] He pitched in 20 games for Rockland, carrying a 3.50 ERA with 80 strikeouts over 110+2⁄3 innings pitched. He also rediscovered his love of baseball in the independent league.[3] He began the 2018 season with Rockland as well an appeared in 4 games with the club, pitching to a 4.43 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 20.1 innings with the club.[8]

Texas Rangers

On June 17, 2018, Topa signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers.[9] He spent the majority of the season with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and also appeared in one game for the High-A Down East Wood Ducks. In 9 games (6 starts) for Frisco, Topa recorded a 5.71 ERA with 34 strikeouts across 41 innings. He elected free agency following the season on November 2.[10]

Milwaukee Brewers

On March 28, 2019, Topa signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. He spent the majority of the season with the Biloxi Shuckers and also played for the Carolina Mudcats. On July 28, 2020, the Brewers added Topa to their 60-man player pool.[11] Topa was called up to the majors for the first time on August 31, 2020[12] and made his debut that night against the Detroit Tigers. Topa pitched two innings allowing two runs on two hits while striking out two. Topa finished the season with the Brewers and pitched two scoreless innings in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.[13]

On March 29, 2021, it was announced that Topa had suffered a flexor tendon strain and would miss the first half of the 2021 season.[14] On April 6, Topa was placed on the 60-day injured list.[15] On September 4, Topa was activated off of the injured list.[16]

On May 30, 2022, Topa was placed on the 60-day injured list with an elbow injury.[17] He was activated on August 13 and optioned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds.[18] In parts of three seasons with the Brewers, Topa had an 8.35 ERA in 18+1⁄3 innings.[19]

Seattle Mariners

On January 7, 2023, the Brewers traded Topa to the Seattle Mariners for minor league pitcher Joseph Hernandez.[19] The Mariners traded for Topa because he excelled at inducing ground balls.[3] Topa was optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers to begin the 2023 season,[20] but joined the team on April 10. In 75 relief outings, Topa registered a 2.61 ERA with 61 strikeouts, 3 savesm and two blown saves across 69 innings of work.[21]

Minnesota Twins

On January 29, 2024, the Mariners traded Topa, Anthony DeSclafani, Gabriel González, Darren Bowen, and cash to the Minnesota Twins for Jorge Polanco.[22] On May 15, Topa was diagnosed with a partial tear in the patellar tendon in his left knee. He subsequently received a platelet-rich plasma injection and was shut down for six weeks.[23] Topa was activated from the injured list on September 25.[24] He pitched in three of the Twins final five games of the season, allowing no runs and one hit in 2+1⁄3 innings.[25]

Personal life

Topa's wife Trish had their first child in 2023.[5][3]

Growing up, Topa was a batboy for the minor league Binghampton Mets.[3]

Topa remains close friends with Jamie Keefe, his manager with the Rockland Boulders.[3]

Topa has collected baseball cards since he was a child, along with his father. In 2024, he appeared on Topps baseball cards for the first time, initially in a Seattle Mariners team card. Topa posted on social media that he wanted to collect different versions of the Mariners card. Topps created a card of Topa in a later 2024 set, which the Topas also collected.[26]

References

  1. ^ a b "Justin Topa – 2013 Baseball". LIU Brooklyn Athletics. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Justin Topa Selected by Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013 MLB Draft". LIU Brooklyn Athletics. June 7, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Jude, Adam (June 16, 2023). "Mariners' scrapheap bullpen has found another late-blooming gem in Justin Topa". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  4. ^ "Justin Topa Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Justin Topa Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  6. ^ Dreker, John (March 29, 2017). "Pittsburgh Pirates Release Jason Creasy and Justin Topa - Pirates Prospects". piratesprospects.com. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  7. ^ "Justin Topa – Can-Am League". Pointstreak.
  8. ^ "Justin Topa College, Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. ^ "CV's Justin Topa keeping MLB dream alive in Texas". June 22, 2018.
  10. ^ "Minor League Free Agents 2018". Baseball America. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  11. ^ "MLB's Brewers Add Baseball Alum Topa to 60-Man Roster". LIU Brooklyn Athletics. July 29, 2020.
  12. ^ Rosiak, Todd (August 31, 2020). "Brewers promote right-handers Trey Supak and Justin Topa from Appleton". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  13. ^ "Justin Topa Postseason Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  14. ^ "Brewers Notes: Topa, Fisher, Cain, JBJ, Vogelbach". MLB Trade Rumors. March 29, 2021.
  15. ^ "Brewers Select Brad Boxberger". April 6, 2021.
  16. ^ "John Curtiss has a torn UCL, Brewers activate Justin Topa and Hoby Milner, Angel Perdomo to IL in bullpen shakeup". August 11, 2021.
  17. ^ "Brewers' Justin Topa: Shifts to 60-day IL". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  18. ^ "Brewers place Gott on IL, recall Strzelecki, reinstate Topa in slew of reliever moves". brewcrewball.com. August 13, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Mariners Acquire Justin Topa". MLB Trade Rumors. January 7, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  20. ^ "Mariners' Justin Topa: Dispatched to minors". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  21. ^ "Justin Topa 2023 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  22. ^ "Mariners acquire Polanco from Twins in 5-player deal". MLB.com.
  23. ^ "Justin Topa Shut Down For Six Weeks With Patellar Tendon Tear". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  24. ^ "Twins Designate Cole Irvin For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  25. ^ "Justin Topa 2024 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  26. ^ Nightengale, Bobby (March 3, 2025). "Twins' Justin Topa, a lifelong card collector, chases his own baseball card". Star Tribune – via MSN.com.
Allikas: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Topa
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