Blue Jays Nation’s Pre-Season Prospect Countdown – No. 18: Adam Macko

Who doesn’t love a left-handed starting pitcher that can throw hard?

This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual pre-season list, in which I’ll take a look at the top 50 prospects in the organization. We’ll look at the player’s stats, my observations, and other publications’ scouting reports if available.

Let’s take a look at Adam Macko

Getting to know Adam Macko…

Position: Starting pitcher

Throws: Left

Born: December 30, 2000

Acquired:  Trade with Seattle Mariners

2023 Team: High-A Vancouver

Previous Ranking: 21

Macko is Slovakian-born, Ireland-raised, and went to school at Vauxhall Academy in Alberta, when the Seattle Mariners drafted him in the seventh-round. In 2019, he had a 3.38 ERA and a 3.80 FIP in 21.1 innings pitched, along with a high K% of 33% and a high BB% of 11.7%, get used to that.

In 2021, he posted a 4.59 ERA and a 3.33 FIP in 33.1 innings pitched, along with a 36.1 K% and a 13.5 BB% in Single-A, but missed a lot of the season due to injury. It was the same case in 2022, where he pitched just 38.1 innings with a 3.99 ERA and 3.77 FIP, along with a 35.9 K% and a 12 BB%.

The 2022 season was his last with the Mariners, who traded him along with big league reliever Erik Swanson to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Teoscar Hernández. In his first season with the Jays organization, Macko had a 4.81 ERA and a 3.97 FIP, the former wasn’t great, but we’ll get there. There were some encouraging signs though, such as the 86 innings he pitched, which was just nine innings shy of matching his professional total in innings pitched.

Macko pitched in High-A with the Northwest League Everett AquaSox in 2022, and remained in the league with the Vancouver Canadians in 2023. His BB% went from 12% in 2022 down to 10.8% in 2023, another encouraging sign. However, his K% dropped significantly as it plummeted to 28.5%, the worst of his career aside from two innings pitched in 2019.

Despite the mixed results and positive signs, Macko finished the season well with the Canadians. From July 26 to the end of the season, he pitched 32.1 innings in seven games, and had a 2.51 ERA and a 2.50 FIP, along with a 39.7 K% and an 11.9 BB%. This made the Blue Jays decide to add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.