Zack Tukis was cut from his high school team twice. Now, he’s trying to prove himself with the Phillies.
Despite an unlikely path to professional baseball, Tukis has established himself as an interesting pitcher with big velocity.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Zack Tukis entered the 2024 MLB draft with no expectations. Little had gone right in his career up to that point. He’d been cut by his high school junior varsity team twice. When he finally made varsity his senior year, Cumberland High School’s season was canceled due to COVID.
Things didn’t get much better in college. Tukis committed to Millersville University, a small Division II program in Lancaster County, ahead of the 2022 season. He could throw hard but struggled with his command, so he was used only sparingly. He pitched only 24⅓ innings over three years.
It was hardly a typical baseball resumé. Tukis, 22, was on the radar of a few teams, like the Padres and the Phillies. But there was no guarantee he’d be signed.
» READ MORE: The Phillies’ Taijuan Walker worked hard this offseason. He’s seeing results so far this spring.
He went undrafted. San Diego offered him a deal as a free agent, and a little later, the Phillies called with the same. Tukis, who is from Mechanicsburg, Pa., decided to go with the Phillies. He’d heard about the organization’s reputation for developing pitchers.
So far, everything has gone better than expected. Tukis has established himself as an interesting arm. He has big velocity — 95-97 mph, touching 99 mph — and has improved his command. He’s added 20 pounds of muscle since he signed.
The Phillies believe his arsenal — a hard cutting slider, a sweepy slider, and a sinker for a fastball — is suited for a starter role, so he is building up his workload.
He said the past few months can be summed up with just one word:
“Finally.”
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander was always tall, but it took him a while to fill out. Nevertheless, he thought he had a good chance of making his high school baseball team. When he didn’t, two years in a row, he was devastated.
“I was going home, crying,” he said.
He decided not to try out his junior year. Instead, Tukis worked out at FullReps Training Center in Camp Hill, Pa. He put on a little weight, and focused on his mechanics and his timing.
It made a big difference. Tukis became more athletic, developed more pitches, and made the high school team in 2020. But the season was canceled due to the pandemic — yet another obstacle.
» READ MORE: Meet Aaron Combs, a Phillies minor leaguer who brings a Michael Jordan-like edge
He committed to Millersville University, where he connected with Tim Mayza, who went to the same school and also trained at FullReps. Mayza, a reliever who is with the Pirates this spring after seven seasons with the Blue Jays, became a mentor of sorts.
“He’s been through it all,” Tukis said. “Had Tommy John, got released last year. If I have any questions, I usually go to him.”
Mayza’s mentorship has been helpful, especially given how Tukis’ last few seasons have gone. Millersville took a flier on him but never gave the pitcher a defined role. He made only three outings his redshirt freshman year, in 2022, throwing a total of 1⅓ innings, allowing five walks with three strikeouts.
He pitched about the same in 2023 — two innings over three games, with three walks and three strikeouts. That summer, he went to the Cal Ripken League and decided to use the time to refine his command.
“It was all mindset for me,” Tukis said. “When I played summer ball, there were no fans. It was just you and the game, so you had to just figure it out.
“And I think that’s what helped me out a lot. Was just saying, ‘Screw it. Nobody’s here.’ It doesn’t matter what happens.”
Tukis began to throw the ball right down the middle, allowing his pitches to move naturally, rather than trying to hit the corners. By this point, he had caught the Phillies’ attention. Area scout Jeff Zona Jr. saw Tukis at a scout day that fall at Millersville, and gave him a good report.
“He was a big-bodied guy, throwing mid-90s,” Zona said. “You saw the breaking ball had some sharpness to it.”
» READ MORE: Aidan Miller used his time in Phillies camp to study Bryce Harper and learn from a ‘welcoming clubhouse’
Bryce Harman, one of the Phillies’ cross checkers, saw him as well, and came back with another positive report. In 2024, Tukis’ role expanded. His command had improved, and he began to pitch out of the rotation and the bullpen.
He threw 21 innings over 13 games, posting a 3.86 ERA, with 32 strikeouts to 20 walks. Zona tried to catch more of Tukis’ outings, but because he wasn’t on a regular schedule, the scout kept missing him.
Harman saw him pitch in one more game, which was enough for the Phillies to extend him an invite to their predraft workout and a predraft stadium workout.
“After all that, we finally had him in position to get him, and thank god we did,” Zona said. “Because so far the early returns are really, really good. And he’s a great kid.”
Added director of pitching development Travis Hergert: “For a non-drafted guy to have that big of stuff, is really exciting.”
Tukis is pitching like he has nothing to lose. He’s still lighting up the radar gun, and is now working on adding a cutter. He’ll likely start his season in low A Clearwater, but won’t have a heavy workload, given his atypical path.
Regardless of where this ends up, he is trying to enjoy his time in camp as much as he can. It’s why the minor leaguer arrives early every morning.
“I just kind of enjoy being here every day,” he said. “This is my job now. I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders. Now, I can just go out there and be myself and do what I do.”