Will Adam Macko Be The Next Arm Up?

Slovakian-Canadian Adam Macko was part of the return that sent Teoscar Hernandez to Seattle in his free agent year. Erik Swanson was the main piece, and although he immediately pitched well in his first season with the Jays, external factors and injuries eventually led to a DFA for this season.

Macko also dealt with injuries, as during spring training he was sent to the injured list after tearing his meniscus, delaying his start to the season after potentially being one of the Jays' depth starters to start the season. That role ended up going to guys like Paxton Schultz, Easton Lucas, Jose Urena, Spencer Turnbull, and the return of Casey Lawrence for a spot start. Macko is now finally healthy, and John Schneider mentioned him and 2024 first-rounder Trey Yesavage as other starting pitching depth options for the Jays down the stretch. 

Macko’s numbers don’t really jump off the page, as he has a 5.92 ERA in ten starts for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, and he’s also walking over 16% of the batters he’s facing. Still, the lefty has decent stuff coming out of a deceptive delivery, which makes him one of the more unique looks hitters have to face. Macko utilizes a four-pitch mix, and his most frequently used pitch is his four-seam fastball. Macko’s four-seamer sits 92-94 mph, but he can touch up to 96, with 15 and a half inches of ride and 6.5 inches of run. The pitch effectiveness depends heavily on his velocity, as when his four-seamer is under 93 mph, it has a .340 batting average against, and only has a 17.9% whiff rate. In contrast, when it’s above 93 mph, it has a .192 batting average against and a 21.4% whiff rate. 

Macko’s secondaries are his more effective pitches when he’s throwing them in the zone, but they have a lot of movement that prevents him from landing them for strikes consistently. His most reliable secondary is his slider, which he throws near 30% of the time. His slider sits in the mid-80s, where he gets over a 35% chase rate with it and a 34% whiff rate, and the pitch does get hit hard when hitters make contact. 

Macko’s curveball is probably his best pitch; it has a two-plane break, and despite being thrown in the mid-70s, it has the highest whiff rate in his arsenal at over 40%, and generates a ton of weak contact when it is hit. Macko has struggled to consistently place it in the zone due to the big movement this season, and hitters can pick up on the pitch out of the hand and not swing, leading to mediocre chase rates, but if Macko can command it, it’ll be a great weapon for him. 

Lastly, the lefty also throws a changeup, which he throws almost exclusively to righties; it sits in the low to mid-80s and has good fade, but he also struggles with the feel of it sometimes.

Macko’s four solid pitches does signal that he could be a decent depth-starter piece, but his issues with command and staying healthy have plagued him throughout his career. The strikeout rates are also unimpressive, but Macko has done an excellent job limiting the long ball this season, only giving up a single homer. He also does a great job at inducing infield fly-balls, which are almost as good at strikeouts because they’re almost as likely to be an out, which he’s done at a 31.8% rate, for 17th among all International League Pitchers with over 30 IP. As of now, the 24-year-old may not be the first starter to be called up if the Jays need a spot start, but if he can continue on his recent momentum, where he’s only allowed two earned runs in his last three starts, he’ll continue to be on the Jays’ radar. 

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