Patrick Mazeika

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Mets #18 prospect in 2018
  Mazeika embellished his reputation as a professional hitter at high Class A St. Lucie in 2017, all while catching a career-high 77 games--but he still has work to do to profile as a regular for scouts. He hit .348 in three years at Stetson and has hit .311 in three pro seasons, thanks to a feel for the barrel and excellent strike-zone judgment. Mazeika ranked third in the high Class A Florida State League with a .389 on-base percentage in 2017 and owns a career .411 mark, though with a focus on contact, his power production is limited mostly to line drives to the gaps. Mazeika shows aptitude for receiving the ball, but his ability to block pitches in the dirt is hampered by his slow-twitch actions, and his arm plays as below-average. A slow tempo with calling pitches turns off some scouts. Mazeika also plays first base, but his power doesn't fit the profile there, so his best path to a major league role is as a lefthanded-hitting catcher. A full season at Double-A Binghamton will be a good test for Mazeika in 2018.
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  Ranked New York Mets #21 prospect in 2017
  Mazeika has rough edges to his game, but his advanced hitting approach make him a sleeper if he can stay at catcher. He hit .348 in three years at Stetson and .354 in his 2015 pro debut to finish runner-up in the Rookie-level Appalachian League batting race. Mazeika in 2016 spent two stints on the low Class A Columbia disabled list with a right elbow injury, but he hit .305 in 70 games when healthy, with elite strikeout (13.3 percent) and walk rates (13 percent). He spread out his stance in 2016 in order to more consistently hit behind the ball. He can be a plus hitter so long as he maintains a direct bat path and avoids becoming too rotational in his swing. Mazeika can throw his hands at the ball and pull it for home-run power, but he operates better when he drives the ball to all fields. South Atlantic League basestealers tested Mazeika frequently, and he threw out a below-average 29 percent of them. His problems stem from making the exchange from glove to hand and then staying low on his throws to second base. He fights the urge to stand all the way up when he throws, though he has average arm strength. He does a good job receiving and blocking balls in the dirt. Mazeika played first base as well as catcher in college, and it might be his fallback option if his bat forces him to the big leagues before his glove to catches up.
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  Ranked New York Mets #25 prospect in 2016
  Mazeika hit .348 in a three-year Stetson career, then embellished his hitting credentials in his pro debut. He hit .354/.451/.540 in 62 games at Rookie-level Kingsport in 2015 and led the Appalachian League in on-base percentage and with 27 doubles while finishing second in average, RBIs (48), extra-base hits (32) and strikeout rate (9.7 percent). The lefthanded-hitting Mazeika shows plus bat-to-ball skills, good strike-zone awareness and at least average in-game power. He never has profiled as a great defensive catcher. He's tall for the position, not especially nimble afoot or quick on the transfer, and he has ordinary arm strength. He blocks well and understands the rudiments of calling a game, but his advanced feel for hitting outstrips his feel for catching, meaning the below-average runner's future position could be at first base. As with any college hitter who excels in the Appy League, Mazeika must prove he's more than an experienced player roughing up younger competition.