| Luke Maile | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Maile with the Blue Jays in 2017 | |
| Kansas City Royals | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: (1991-02-06)February 6, 1991 (age 34) Edgewood, Kentucky, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 1, 2015, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Batting average | .208 |
| Home runs | 21 |
| Runs batted in | 113 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Luke Richard Maile (born February 6, 1991) is an American professionalbaseballcatcher in theKansas City Royals organization. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theTampa Bay Rays,Toronto Blue Jays,Milwaukee Brewers,Cleveland Guardians, andCincinnati Reds. Before his professional career, Maile played baseball forCovington Catholic High School and theUniversity of Kentucky.
Maile attendedCovington Catholic High School inPark Hills, Kentucky. While there, he set school records forbatting average,on-base percentage,hits,walks,runs scored,runs batted in (RBIs),doubles, andtriples.[1] Maile was namedThe 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]
TheBoston Red Sox selected Maile in the 43rd round of the2009 Major League Baseball draft,[4] but he did not sign, because they did not offer enough money.[2] Instead, Maile playedcollege baseball for theKentucky Wildcats. In 2011, he played in threecollegiate summer baseball games for theCotuit Kettleers of theCape Cod Baseball League.[5] In2012, his junior year, Maile won theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Week Award twice, was an All-SEC Second Team member, and was a semifinalist for theGolden Spikes Award and theDick Howser Trophy.[6] That season, he hit .319 with 12 home runs and 9 stolen bases in 62 games.[7]
TheTampa Bay Rays selected Maile in the eighth round, with the 272nd overall selection of the2012 Major League Baseball draft.[6] He was assigned to theShort Season-AHudson 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 theClass-ABowling Green Hot Rods. He finished the year with a .283 batting average, four home runs, and 49 RBIs.[7] That autumn, Maile played for theSalt River Rafters of theArizona Fall League.[7]
In 2014, Maile played for theMontgomery Biscuits of theDouble-ASouthern League.[8] The Rays promoted him to theDurham Bulls of theTriple-AInternational 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 Raysdesignated Maile for assignment on April 2, 2017.[12]
TheToronto Blue Jays claimed Maile offwaivers on April 6, 2017.[13] On April 28, Maile was recalled from the Triple-ABuffalo Bisons afterJarrod Saltalamacchia was designated for assignment.[14] Maile was placed on thedisabled list on July 4 with knee inflammation. AnMRI later that day determined he had atorn 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]
On December 16, 2019, Maile signed a deal with thePittsburgh 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.
Maile signed a one-year deal with theMilwaukee 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]
Maile signed a one-year contract with theCleveland Guardians on March 14, 2022.[26] Backing upAustin 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 theNew York Yankees in Game 5 of theAmerican 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]
On November 20, 2022, Maile signed a one-year contract with theCincinnati 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]
On February 16, 2025, Maile signed a minor league contract with theKansas 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]
Maile was married on November 1, 2014, to Paige Maile, née Archinal.[37] His father, Rich Maile, played football at theUniversity of Kentucky andUniversity of Dayton.[38][39] His grandfather Dick Maile was an All-American basketball player forLouisiana State University and was a late pick in the1965 NBA draft.[40][41]
Maile's mother is Laurie Maile, and he has two brothers and two sisters.[42] He is the first cousin ofMichael Mayer, a professional football player who currently is atight end for theLas Vegas Raiders.[38][43]
Maile played golf and basketball in high school.[42]
