A baseball player who spent 12 years in the minors received a standing ovation during his first career at-bat in the big leagues
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- Drew Maggi is an infielder who has played 1,155 games in the minors dating back to 2010.
- On Wednesday night, Maggi finally made his major league debut.
- The crowd gave Maggi a standing ovation as he entered the game.
A lifelong ballplayer lived his dream on Wednesday night, making his first career plate appearance in the majors.
Drew Maggi, 33, had been in the minor league system since he was drafted in 2010 out of Arizona State. In that time, he's played in 1,155 minor league games but never took the field in the big leagues.
The Pittsburgh Pirates called up Maggi after outfielder Bryan Reynolds was put on the bereavement list. Just getting the news was an emotional scene.
—Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 23, 2023
But while putting on the major league jersey is one thing, getting into a game is another. Maggi didn't have the opportunity to get into the action in either of his first two days in the majors. However, on Wednesday night, with the Pirates up 8-1, Maggi got his moment, pinch-hitting for Andrew McCutchen in the 8th inning.
The home crowd in Pittsburgh applauded as Maggi took to the plate.
—MLB (@MLB) April 27, 2023
Maggi's at-bat didn't end in any glory. He fouled off a ball, got called for a pitch-clock violation, fouled off another, and ultimately struck out swinging, but for Maggi, it was still the moment of a lifetime.
"It's the best strikeout I ever had," Maggi said after the game.
—Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 27, 2023
"I love baseball," Maggi said. "I was grinding for 13 years, but I was doing what I loved. The ultimate goal is the big leagues. Just kind of getting here, my name is in history. I put on a big league uniform, and I shared the field with the world's greatest players."