LEXINGTON, Ky. — Former Kentucky star catcher Luke Maile has received his first big league call-up, summoned to the Tampa Bays roster for the September playoff push the club announced on Monday night.
A native of Crestview Hills, Ky., Maile played the 2015 season with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, his first campaign at the highest level of affiliated minor league baseball. A former eighth-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, Maile played in 89 games with the Bulls, totaling nine doubles, five homers and 29 RBI.
Maile is on track to become the 10th former UK star to play in the big leagues over the last two seasons. He is the 31st former Kentucky player to play in the big leagues, including the sixth former UK star to earn MLB service time in 2015, including Andrew Albers (Blue Jays), Joe Blanton (Royals), Collin Cowgill (Angels), Trevor Gott (Angels) and Chris Rusin (Rockies).
A 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, Maile starred with the Wildcats from 2010-12, helping lead UK to a historic 45-win season as a junior. In his UK career, Maile hit .295 (130-for-441) with 23 doubles, three triples, 24 homers and 93 RBI, swiping 17-of-21 bases.
The Kentucky High School Mr. Baseball out Covington Catholic High School in 2009, Maile earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference accolades as a junior, batting.319 (73-for-229) with 13 doubles, 12 homers and 51 RBI, owning a .533 slugging and a .426 on-base percentage. Maile owned a 34-35 walk-strikeout ratio and stole nine of 11 bases.
As a freshman, Maile opened his career with a homer in his first UK at bat, before emerging as one of the top players in college baseball as a sophomore, batting .282 (50-for-177) with 10 doubles, three triples, nine homers and 36 RBI.
Tampa Bay continues a series at the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. at Camden Yards, with the game live on MLB Network and Sun Sports.
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