Justin Topa Bio
Justin Robert Topa is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Seattle Mariners. Topa was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2013 MLB draft and has built his career as a relief pitcher across the minor and major leagues.
Early Life and Background
Justin Robert Topa was born on March 7, 1991. He grew up near the minor league action in upstate New York, where as a young fan he worked as a batboy for the Binghamton Mets. That early connection to professional baseball helped shape his path toward the sport.
Topa attended Chenango Valley High School, where he was a four-year letter winner in baseball. He led his team to the Section 4 Class-B Championships in 2008 and 2009. He earned All-Conference honors and third-team All-State recognition as a pitcher, and was also named All-Division as a second baseman, while also playing golf, hockey, and basketball.
Path to Baseball
Topa continued his baseball career at Long Island University Brooklyn. He finished his college career with 20 wins, 200 strikeouts, and 13 complete games. During the 2010 season, he was named Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week three times, Louisville Slugger Player of the Week, and Northeast Pitcher of the Week, while also earning ECAC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors.
He missed the 2012 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but was still selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 33rd round of the 2012 MLB draft. He did not sign with the Reds, and a year later the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the 17th round of the 2013 MLB draft. He signed with the Pirates on June 13, 2013, and made his professional debut with the Jamestown Jammers of the New York-Penn League on June 18, 2013.
Justin Topa Career
Early Career (2013-2018)
After his debut with the Jamestown Jammers, Topa finished his first professional season with a 5-2 record and a 2.19 ERA. He spent 2014 with the West Virginia Power before missing the 2015 season while recovering from a second Tommy John surgery. He returned to action in 2016 with the Bradenton Marauders before being released by the Pirates in April 2017.
Topa signed with the Rockland Boulders of the Can-Am League in May 2017 and posted a 3.50 ERA with 80 strikeouts over 110 and two-thirds innings in 20 games. He began the 2018 season with Rockland as well, then signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers on June 17, 2018. With the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, he logged a 5.71 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 41 innings, then elected free agency after the season.
Milwaukee Brewers Breakthrough (2019-2022)
On March 28, 2019, Topa signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers and spent the season with the Biloxi Shuckers and Carolina Mudcats. He was added to the Brewers’ 60-man player pool in 2020 and was called up to the majors for the first time on August 31, 2020. He made his debut that night against the Detroit Tigers, pitching two innings and allowing two runs on two hits while striking out two.
Topa finished the 2020 season with the Brewers and pitched two scoreless innings in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series. He missed the first half of 2021 with a flexor tendon strain and was placed on the 60-day injured list before returning in September 2021. After an elbow injury and another stint on the 60-day injured list in 2022, he was activated and optioned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. Across three seasons with the Brewers, Topa posted an 8.35 ERA in 18 and one-third innings.
Seattle Mariners Era (2023)
On January 7, 2023, the Brewers traded Topa to the Seattle Mariners for minor league pitcher Joseph Hernandez. The Mariners targeted him because of his ability to induce ground balls. He opened the 2023 season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers before joining the Mariners on April 10. In 75 relief outings, Topa registered a 2.61 ERA with 61 strikeouts, 3 saves, and 2 blown saves over 69 innings of work.
Minnesota Twins Era (2024-Present)
On January 29, 2024, the Mariners traded Justin Topa, Anthony DeSclafani, Gabriel Gonzalez, Darren Bowen, and cash to the Minnesota Twins for Jorge Polanco. On May 15, Topa was diagnosed with a partial tear in the patellar tendon in his left knee, received a platelet-rich plasma injection, and was shut down for six weeks. He was activated from the injured list on September 25 and pitched in three of the Twins’ final five games of the season, allowing no runs and one hit in two and one-third innings.
Driving Style and Strengths
Topa has built his career as a ground-ball pitcher out of the bullpen. His ability to induce ground balls was a key reason the Seattle Mariners acquired him in 2023, and that skill set has continued to define his value as a late-inning reliever for the Minnesota Twins.
Notable Events and Milestones
Topa’s major league debut came on August 31, 2020, against the Detroit Tigers, and he later pitched two scoreless innings in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series that same year. He has twice recovered from Tommy John surgery to continue his career, and in 2024 he appeared on a Topps baseball card for the first time, a milestone he shared with his father, with whom he has collected cards since childhood.
Justin Topa Career Wins
Justin Topa has notched his most meaningful career wins during his developmental years and in the major leagues as a reliever. His first full professional season with the Jamestown Jammers in 2013 produced a 5-2 record, and he added 20 college wins at LIU Brooklyn along the way.
Major League Highlights
Topa’s major league career has been built around relief appearances rather than traditional wins, though he earned a long-awaited call-up with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2020. He later delivered two scoreless innings in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series that fall, one of the signature postseason moments of his career.
Other Wins and Performances
In the independent Can-Am League, Topa posted a 3.50 ERA with 80 strikeovers over 110 and two-thirds innings for the Rockland Boulders in 2017, a stretch where he rediscovered his love of the game. He also contributed steady innings for the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders in 2018 and the Triple-A Nashville Sounds during his time in the Brewers system.
Justin Topa Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Topa grew up around baseball, often working as a batboy for the minor league Binghamton Mets. He has collected baseball cards since he was a child, a hobby he has shared with his father, and the two later collected Topps cards featuring Justin after his 2024 appearances.
Personal Life
Topa’s wife, Trish, had their first child, a son, in 2023. Topa also remains close friends with Jamie Keefe, his former manager with the Rockland Boulders.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Justin Topa is part of the Minnesota Twins’ bullpen after recovering from the partial patellar tendon tear in his left knee that ended much of his 2024 season. His late-season return in 2024, when he allowed no runs and one hit across two and one-third innings, suggested he was finishing the year on a strong note.
The Twins acquired Topa in the trade that sent Jorge Polanco to Seattle, and the front office views him as a ground-ball reliever who can handle late-inning work. If he stays healthy in 2025, he is expected to play a meaningful role in the middle and late innings for Minnesota.
Topa’s outlook for 2025 depends largely on his knee health and his ability to maintain the ground-ball profile that made him attractive to the Mariners and Twins. With a full offseason of recovery behind him, he should be in position to contribute regularly for the Minnesota Twins in 2025.