Two former University of Maine pitchers have pitched in the Major Leagues this season in Cody Laweryson (Minnesota Twins) and Matt Pushard (St. Louis Cardinals), and another will be starting his journey to hopefully stepping onto a MLB mound someday.
UMaine junior right-hander Jason Krieger was drafted in the 17th round by the New York Yankees over the weekend and has signed with the team, according to UMaine head coach Nick Derba.
He was the 518th player selected.
According to USA Today, the slot value or recommended signing bonus for the Yankees’ 10th round pick, infielder Bayram Holt from the University of Louisville, was $193,000. So a 17th round pick would probably earn a bonus of between $75,000 to $150,000.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Krieger was an All-America East first team selection this past spring after posting a team-best 4.57 earned run average to go with a 4-6 record.
He got off to a shaky start as he had a lofty 7.24 ERA following his first six starts after missing the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm, but he finished strong by registering a 3.04 ERA over his last nine starts for the Black Bears.
He allowed three earned runs or fewer in eight of those nine starts including two or fewer in six of them.
He finished the season with 55 strikeouts and 34 walks while allowing 97 hits and hitting 12 batters in 88 ⅔ innings. But he gave up only 19 extra-base hits, including six homers.
He followed that with a very impressive showing in the prestigious Cape Cod League where he was 2-0 with an 0.59 ERA for the Harwich Mariners. In four appearances covering 15 ⅓ innings, including one start, he allowed only one earned run, one walk and nine hits while striking out 16.
The Red Lion, Pennsylvania, native was named to the America East All-Rookie Team in 2024 when he led the Black Bears in ERA (5.26) and strikeouts (54) over 65 innings.
It marks the fourth consecutive year the Black Bears have had a player drafted. Krieger follows pitcher Caleb Leys (4th round, Detroit, 129th overall, 2025), first baseman Jeremiah Jenkins (14th round, San Francisco Giants, 418th overall, 2024) and infielder Quinn McDaniel (5th round, Giants, 2023, 153rd overall).
Derba feels Krieger has a legitimate chance to pitch in the Major Leagues.
“He has a chance to be really good for a long time,” said Derba, a former AAA catcher who caught a lot of Major Leaguers during his career. “There is an edge to him in everything he does and that’s really big.
“His fastball has gotten up to 97-98 [miles an hour] and he actually pitches. He has a feel for the [strike zone]. He can spin a breaking ball, his sinker works and he throws a lot of strikes.
“And he competes. Those things still matter,” said Derba. “He throws a four-seam fastball, a sinker and a cutter. He has a decent splitter.”
Derba said Krieger may not have had a lot of strikeouts “but he created a lot of soft contact. The amount of balls that were put in play that were not hit hard was incredible. And his breaking ball is still developing.”
Derba said UMaine pitching coach Cejayi Suarez did an excellent job developing Krieger.
“[Krieger] is just scratching the surface as far as I’m concerned,” Derba added. “He has a full repertoire of pitches that he actually has a decent handle on and those are going to get better as he continues to throw more.
“He has a lot of upside. The Yankees got a bargain out of him, to be honest with you.”