Why Tim Mayza — Phillies pitcher and Millersville commencement speaker — is a rarity among MLB players

DENVER — Tim Mayza is accustomed to competing in front of crowds of 40,000 when he pitches for the Phillies.

But when he stood on stage in front of around 400 graduating students and their families as the Millersville University commencement speaker in December, Mazya felt a bit out of his comfort zone.

“I don’t really have to speak out there,” Mayza said. “For the most part, you dial in on really just what’s in front of you, and that’s the pitcher, me, and then the catcher and the hitter, and you’re just trying to execute there. But to have a whole quiet audience just listening to you talk, is different.”

Mayza, a 34-year-old Allentown native, was a non-roster invitee to Phillies spring training but earned a spot on the opening day roster. The lefty has not allowed a run in his first three appearances out of the bullpen this year and has begun to carve out a role for himself as a multi-inning reliever.

After his alma mater approached him with the opportunity in the offseason, he spent about two weeks writing the 10-minute speech. Then, Mayza practiced delivering it over and over again to his wife in his kitchen, making sure he got the timing down. Once he stepped up to the podium and started speaking, though, he found the nerves started to dissipate.

Mayza tried to find ways to connect his baseball experience with real-life lessons.

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“I connected my experiences here with what I felt like they were going to experience in life and their businesses,” he said. “So things as simple as being in a clubhouse and working with others as a team ... Lean on your village, people you trust to be honest with you, and really take their advice. And then part of it was celebrating small things. The singles sometimes are just as beneficial as the champagne showers that you see.”

He also encouraged the graduates to search for their passions, and touched on the importance of resilience.

Mayza has always tried to stay connected to the places that molded him. He still talks to Millersville’s head baseball coach, Jon Shehan, on a regular basis. He also returned to Upper Perkiomen Middle School this winter to speak to students for their career day.

Education is important to Mayza. An undergraduate degree is already somewhat rare among MLB players, since many are either drafted out of high school or prior to their final year of college. But in addition to his bachelor’s from Millersville, Mayza also earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University.

He completed the two-year program as a member of the Blue Jays in 2021. The team put on their own miniature commencement ceremony for Mayza after he graduated, presenting him with a cap and gown at his locker.

Mazya tore his UCL in September 2019, so he was able to focus on the online classes while he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. But before he was injured, he spent about a month juggling schoolwork with the demands of being a professional pitcher. Mayza would listen to lectures on plane rides and get work done in the mornings before he had to be at the ballpark.

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“It was just something I wanted to do,” Mayza said. “You don’t know quite how long this journey is going to be. And I always said I wanted to stay involved in sports in some way, shape, or form when I’m done, whether that’s doing something in professional baseball, or I had a really good college experience. So if I can help impact student athletes by improving their college experience, it’s something I have an interest in.”