New York Mets pitcher Max Kranick has had a unique big league journey. The 27-year-old was an 11th-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016 but has pitched sparingly at the top level since then.

Kranick backed out of his commitment to the University of Virginia to pitch for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates in ’16 before getting promoted to Single-A in ’18 and High-A in ’19. The right-hander then didn’t play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor-league season during COVID-19 before getting promoted to Double-A and later Triple-A in ’21.

Kranick finally made his MLB debut for the Pirates on June 27 of that year and set the record for the most batters retired to start a big-league career with 15. However, the 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pounder later struggled and finished with a 6.28 ERA over 38.2 innings that season.

Kranick then started 2022 in Triple-A before getting Tommy John surgery in June. He returned to the active roster until September 2023 but didn’t appear in a game. Pittsburgh designated him for assignment in January 2024, and the Mets claimed him shortly after.

Kranick received a special text message when he was named to New York’s 2025 Opening Day roster.

Mets legend David Wright congratulated him, which meant the world to the journeyman.

“He was my favorite player growing up, so definitely a special moment,” he said.

Max Kranick says that David Wright texted him when he made the Mets' Opening Day roster:

"He was my favorite player growing up, so definitely a special moment." pic.twitter.com/wEoXjvCACw

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 4, 2025