LOUDONVILLE, NY – Former Siena College Baseball star Matt Gage has received the call that he's always been waiting for. The local standout from nearby Gloversville, New York by way of Broadalbin-Perth High School is officially a major leaguer after having his contract selected by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Gage, a left-handed pitcher who will wear the number 91, has been activated for the Blue Jays' game tonight against the Kansas City Royals. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET (weather permitting) from Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+ in addition to both teams' networks.
Should he play, Gage would become the fifth player in Siena Baseball history to appear in a Major League Baseball game, and the first since John Lannan pitched for the New York Mets in 2014. Lannan holds a program record eight years of Major League Baseball service, pitching for the Washington Nationals (2007-12), Philadelphia Phillies (2013), and the Mets. Billy Harrell was the first Siena Baseball player to reach "The Show," playing parts of four seasons with the Cleveland Indians (1955, 1957-58) and Boston Red Sox (1961), while Gary Holle appeared in five games for the Texas Rangers in 1979, and Tim Christman made one appearance for the Colorado Rockies in 2001.
Gage starred for Siena from 2012-14, before becoming the fourth highest Major League Baseball draft pick in program history following his sensational junior season when he established a then program single-season record with 90 strikeouts. A 2013 First Team All-MAAC selection as a sophomore, he was also named a Cape Cod League All-Star for the Chatham Anglers that summer. Gage capped his collegiate career by earning Fort Worth Regional All-Tournament Team honors in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, following a masterful 10-inning, 130-pitch performance in which he allowed just one run in a narrow 2-1 loss in 11 innings against host and 16
th ranked TCU. He currently ranks third all-time in Siena history with 212 career strikeouts.
A 10
th Round draft pick by the San Francisco Giants in 2014, the 29-year-old Gage has spent parts of nine professional seasons chasing his childhood dream. He most recently signed a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training with Toronto on Nov. 29, and finally earned his long-awaited promotion to the majors following a stellar performance with the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons of the International League. In 16 relief appearances so far this season, Gage boasted an immaculate 1.08 ERA while going a perfect 7-for-7 in save opportunities. In 16.2 innings pitched, he allowed just 10 hits and only two earned runs, while walking five and registering 21 strikeouts.
Gage has spent parts of eight seasons in affiliated baseball, pitching in the minor leagues for four different Major League Baseball organizations in the San Francisco Giants (2014-18), New York Mets (2018), Arizona Diamondbacks (2021), and Toronto Blue Jays (2022). In 165 career minor league appearances (95 starts), he has posted a collective 35-39 overall record with a 3.97 earned run average and 493 strikeouts over 596 innings pitched.
Gage has also previously pitched for two seasons in Independent Baseball with Sugar Land (2018) and Eastern Reyes del Tigre (2020), two seasons in the Mexican Pacific Winter League with Venados de Mazatlan (2020-22), and one season in the Mexican League with Diablos Rojos del Mexico (2019) as part of his long road to the majors.