Justin Topa Bio
Justin Robert Topa (born March 7, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who most recently played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins. He has also appeared in the majors for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Seattle Mariners, and was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2013 MLB draft. After being released by the Twins in May 2026, Topa signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays organization. A right-handed reliever, he has built a career out of the bullpen through perseverance after multiple arm surgeries.
Early Life and Background
Justin Robert Topa was born on March 7, 1991, and grew up in the Binghamton, New York area. He was a four-year letter winner at Chenango Valley High School, where he led the baseball team to Section 4 Class-B Championships in 2008 and 2009. At Chenango Valley, he was named to the All-Conference team and earned third-team All-State recognition as a pitcher, while also picking up All-Division honors as a second baseman. In addition to baseball, Topa played golf, hockey, and basketball in high school.
Growing up, Topa was a batboy for the minor league Binghamton Mets, a job that deepened his connection to the game. After high school, he attended Long Island University Brooklyn (LIU Brooklyn), where he finished his college baseball career with 20 wins, 200 strikeouts, and 13 complete games. During the 2010 season, he was named NEC Rookie of the Week three times, Louisville Slugger Player of the Week, Northeast Pitcher of the Week, and ECAC Co-Pitcher of the Week. He missed the 2012 season recovering from Tommy John surgery but still heard his name called in the 33rd round of the 2012 MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds, though he did not sign.
Path to Professional Baseball
Topa’s path to the majors was anything but straightforward. After his draft experience with the Reds, he went back to school and the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the 17th round, 509th overall, 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, pitching one inning of relief against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. He finished his first professional season with a 5–2 record and a 2.19 ERA.
His climb was slowed by a second Tommy John surgery in 2015, which cost him the entire season. He returned in 2016 with the Bradenton Marauders but was released by the Pirates in April 2017. Rather than give up, Topa signed with the Rockland Boulders of the independent Can-Am League in May 2017, where he rediscovered his love for the game, and later signed minor league deals with the Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers before reaching the majors.
Justin Topa Career
Early Career (2013–2019)
Topa’s early professional years were spent moving between organizations as he recovered from injuries and worked his way back into affiliated baseball. With the Jamestown Jammers in 2013, he posted a 5–2 record and a 2.19 ERA, then spent 2014 with the West Virginia Power. After missing 2015 following his second Tommy John surgery, he returned with the Bradenton Marauders in 2016 before being released by the Pirates in April 2017.
After his release, Topa signed with the Rockland Boulders of the independent Can-Am League in May 2017, pitching in 20 games with a 3.50 ERA and 80 strikeouts over 110 2/3 innings. He began 2018 back in Rockland and later signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers on June 17, 2018, spending most of that year with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, where he went 5.71 ERA in nine games. He became a free agent after the 2018 season and signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on March 28, 2019.
Milwaukee Brewers Breakthrough (2020–2022)
Topa reached the major leagues for the first time on August 31, 2020, when the Brewers called him up during the pandemic-shortened season. He made his debut that night against the Detroit Tigers, pitching two innings and allowing two runs on two hits while striking out two. He finished the year with two scoreless innings in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series, a strong early taste of postseason baseball.
His Brewers tenure was interrupted by injuries, beginning with a flexor tendon strain that kept him out until September 4, 2021. He returned in 2022, but a left elbow injury placed him on the 60-day injured list on May 30, 2022; he was activated in mid-August and optioned to Triple-A Nashville. In parts of three seasons with Milwaukee, Topa posted an 8.35 ERA across 18 1/3 innings of work before being traded.
Seattle Mariners Era (2023)
On January 7, 2023, the Brewers traded Topa to the Seattle Mariners for minor league pitcher Joseph Hernandez. Seattle targeted him because he excelled at inducing ground balls, a profile that fit the Mariners’ pitching philosophy. Topa was optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers to open 2023 but joined the big-league club on April 10.
In 75 relief outings for Seattle in 2023, Topa registered a 2.61 ERA with 61 strikeouts, three saves, and two blown saves across 69 innings. That workload established him as a reliable late-inning option and set the stage for his next move.
Minnesota Twins Era (2024–2026)
On January 29, 2024, the Mariners traded Topa, along with Anthony DeSclafani, Gabriel González, Darren Bowen, and cash, to the Minnesota Twins for Jorge Polanco. His first season in Minnesota was disrupted on May 15, 2024, when he was diagnosed with a partial tear in the patellar tendon in his left knee. After receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection and being shut down for six weeks, Topa was activated on September 25 and pitched in three of the Twins’ final five games, allowing no runs and just one hit in 2 1/3 innings.
Topa made 23 appearances for the Twins in 2026, but struggled to a 0–1 record and an 8.05 ERA with 12 strikeouts and two saves over 19 innings. On May 19, 2026, he was designated for assignment, and the Twins released him on May 23. Shortly after, on May 30, 2026, Topa signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Driving Style and Strengths
Topa is best known as a ground-ball pitcher, a skill set that originally drew the Mariners to acquire him in 2023. His sinker-heavy approach helps him avoid hard contact and generate double plays, making him a valuable middle-relief and setup arm when healthy. His best major league season statistically came with Seattle in 2023, when he posted a 2.61 ERA in 75 relief outings.
Notable Events and Milestones
Topa’s MLB debut on August 31, 2020, against the Detroit Tigers was a defining moment after years of arm injuries. He also appeared in Game 1 of the 2020 NL Wild Card Series, pitching two scoreless innings for Milwaukee. In 2024, he appeared on Topps baseball cards for the first time, including a Seattle Mariners team card and a later solo card in a 2024 set, a meaningful milestone for a lifelong collector.
Justin Topa Career Wins
Justin Topa’s career in professional baseball has spanned more than a decade, marked by persistence through injuries and roles as a relief pitcher across multiple organizations. While his major league win totals are limited, his appearances in high-leverage relief roles for the Brewers, Mariners, and Twins have defined his value. His 2023 season in Seattle stands out as his most productive year in the majors.
Milwaukee Brewers Highlights
Topa made his MLB debut with the Brewers on August 31, 2020, against the Detroit Tigers, a moment that came after multiple Tommy John surgeries and years in the minors. He appeared in the 2020 NL Wild Card Series, pitching two scoreless innings in Game 1. His Brewers tenure was shortened by elbow and flexor tendon injuries.
Seattle Mariners Highlights
With the Mariners in 2023, Topa set career highs in appearances (75) and innings (69), posting a 2.61 ERA with 61 strikeouts, three saves, and two blown saves. That production made him a key figure in the Seattle bullpen and helped set up his trade to Minnesota.
Justin Topa Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Topa grew up around baseball in the Binghamton, New York area, where he was a batboy for the minor league Binghamton Mets. He has remained close friends with Jamie Keefe, his manager with the Rockland Boulders. He and his father have collected baseball cards together since Topa was a child, a hobby that led to his own Topps card in 2024.
Personal Life
Topa’s wife, Trish, had their first child, a son, in 2023. The family has been part of his journey through the minors, independent ball, and the majors, including the transitions from Milwaukee to Seattle and from Seattle to Minnesota.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a transition year for Topa within the Minnesota Twins organization as he worked his way back from the left knee injury that limited him in 2024. Activated late in 2024, he used the early part of 2025 to re-establish himself in the Twins’ bullpen. His 2026 numbers, including a 0–1 record and an 8.05 ERA across 23 appearances, indicate that the early 2025 results did not lead to sustained success before his May 2026 release.
Following his May 23, 2026 release from the Twins, Topa signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on May 30, 2026, giving him a chance to re-establish himself in the American League East. The signing came after a stretch in which he struggled to replicate his 2023 form with Seattle. He will look to return to the ground-ball, high-contact style that defined his best major league work in 2023 and earn another opportunity at the MLB level with the Blue Jays organization.
