Adam Mazur is embracing his time with the Jumbo Shrimp while preparing for a return to the majors
At last year's MLB trade deadline, the Miami Marlins were one of the league's busiest teams. They brought in a plethora of young talent as they continued to rebuild. One of the prospects they traded for was Adam Mazur, who has continued to improve his game.
The talented 24-year-old began his pro career in 2022 when the San Diego Padres selected him in the second round of the MLB Draft. He quickly moved through the system during his time with the Padres, making his MLB debut last year. That is partly why the Marlins targeted Mazur at the deadline. So far, the transition to a new organization hasn't been overwhelming.
"It's been good, "said Mazur. "There are a lot of former Padres teammates that are now here. It's been cool going through this process with them because I was very close with a lot of these guys back with the Padres. Coming over here and still being around them has been super cool."
While in the Marlins organization, Mazur has continued to build on his success as he eyes a return to the majors. In eight games last year with the Padres, the Iowa college product posted a 7.49 ERA while striking out 22 batters. Although his first stint didn't go as planned, Mazur learned a lot.
"I think when I was up there, I was trying to be too perfect and think too much," Mazur said. I think going up and down made me realize that I have stuff that plays at any level. I just need to go out there and trust my stuff. This year has been big for me getting back to what I need to work on."
So far this season, that strategy has worked out. Through five starts for the Jumbo Shrimp, Mazur has posted a 1.44 ERA and struck out 24 batters. Opponents are only hitting .205 against the talented 24-year-old. As he has made headlines with his pitching, he has added a sweeper to his arsenal.
"Since being with the Padres, adding it was always in the back of my mind, but I was always working on other pitches, so it wasn't a big focus. When I got to Spring training, I messed with it, and it clicked right away."
Due to his exceptional start, it would not be a surprise to see Mazur back in the majors soon. He has only allowed four earned runs so far this season and has shown excellent control, walking only four batters. Regardless of when he gets the call, Mazur is embracing his time with a Jumbo Shrimp roster that is an integral part of the Marlins' future.
"It's really cool, Mazur said. "We have a lot of great guys in this organization. You know, no matter what team you're on, you will have good guys around you and a lot of great baseball players. This club is honestly so much fun. You show up to the ballpark each day and know that you will have three or four good memories coming out of each day."