Adam Macko feeling 'comfortable in Blue Jays colors' after add to 40-man roster
New Hampshire Fisher Cats starter Adam Macko is currently listed as the Toronto Blue Jays 9th ranked prospect. He is also a current member of the 40-man roster.
With those accolades, the spotlight is on Macko to perform and breeze through the system quicker due to taking up a 40-man roster spot.
“This year has actually been very good.” Macko said of 2024. “I think all of the stuff that I had set out in spring training that I wanted to do; I have been doing for the most part. There are always ups and downs, but I feel like all of my goals have been panning out so far.”
It is the first year in Double-A for the left-hander after starting 20 games in 2023 for High-A Vancouver.
“We are all very similar to what we were in High-A after playing with each other last year.” Macko said of adjusting to Double-A. “We are all carrying ourselves better than a normal Double-A team and all get our stuff done and stay on top of that aspect. In terms of competition, the guys have improved from facing them before and have fixed their holes and weaknesses. You just need to be more mindful of what you can and can’t do to certain hitters and trust the plan that the starting catching and pitching staff make for you. It has been a lot of fun and has been more like playing a chess game rather than going out there and trying to beat people with brute force. Now you are getting to the part where you have to know the hitters and what you want to throw and stick to your strengths.”
The Seattle Mariners traded Macko as part of the Teoscar Hernandez trade that saw the left-hander come to the Blue Jays organization. How long did it take for him to settle in with his new organization?
“It took me a month or two into the season to get used to wearing the Blue Jays colors in Spring Training.” Macko said of coming over in the trade. “It felt weird, but it was also very exciting at the same time. It does take some time to get comfortable with everyone and get to know people. Coming into a new environment, I won’t be a loud guy right out of the rip. I just stuck to what I knew and let things unfold naturally. It took me a few months but everyone was super welcoming right out of the gate, so it made the transition easier. I was struggling for a bit last year and even though I was comfortable, I was trying to still find my groove on the field. Once I found that, everything seemed to click, and it has been fun.”
Macko was added to the 40-man roster this past winter as he was Rule 5 Draft eligible for the Blue Jays.
“I wouldn’t say I put any pressure on myself, but going into a major league spring training was new.” Macko said of being added to the 40-man roster. “It was figuring out a new environment again and being around new guys, so I had to get used to that again. The guys were super welcoming though, so it was easy to make that transition. I don’t see myself any different being on the 40-man and I am not any different. I don’t even think about it 95% of the time and I just go out there and play with the boys.”
After being born in Slovakia and growing up in Canada, baseball wasn’t always readily available to watch like it is in the United States. When Macko started to learn about the MLB, he watched and followed the pitcher who was dominating the league at the time.
“It started off as Justin Verlander and it moved to David Price.” Macko said of pitchers he watched. “When I learned about the MLB, I looked up who the best pitcher was. It was Justin Verlander when he won the Triple Crown, so I wanted to be like that guy. I took videos of myself pitching and him pitching to want to look like him. It made me love to improve all aspects of my game. It moved onto David Price after that. So many pitchers at this point that I try to look at to take pieces from or admire at what they do. In today’s game, it’s Jacob DeGrom. I know he has his injuries but watching him is always amazing. I want to know how he can throw off one leg and still throw 101 MPH. I like watching my friends on the Mariners like Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby. I felt very lucky to get to know them and get to pick their brains with Seattle. I watch my friend’s outings and a lot of Tyler Glasnow. I like Blake Snell because when he is on, he is unhittable.”
