Maksim Makarkin

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Born July 8, 1998

Biographical Information

Maksim Makarkin has played for the Russian national team.

In the 2014 European Championship U21, he was 1 for 2 with a walk. He was 2 for 7 with a hit-by-pitch as a regular catcher for Russia in the 2015 European Junior Championship. He hit .188/.263/.188 in the 2016 European Junior Championship but drove in four runs in six games; only Anton Kuznetsov drove in more for Russia. He was 2 for 11 with four walks and two runs in the 2016 European Championship U21.

Moving to the mound, he pitched four shutout innings (5 H, 0 BB, 5 K) in the 2017 B-Level European Championship. He saved Denis Leonov's win over Poland with three shutout innings. He was superb in the 2017 European Championship U23, allowing one unearned run in 11 IP (5 H, 0 BB, 23 K) and going 3 for 9 at the plate. He had no decisions despite his fine work. He was 3rd in ERA (Robin Roevens and Eric Paez were also at 0.00, in more innings), 6th in opponent average (.125) and easily led in whiffs (8 ahead of Kaj Timmermans, Nolan Bond and Pawel Sztejka).

Makarkin was 4 for 10 with a walk, 3 runs and 3 RBI for Minsk in the 2018 CEB Cup but allowed a double to the only batter he faced. In the 2019 B-Level European Championship, he struggled. Relieving Vadim Balan in the bottom of the 10th with a 12-8 lead and two on, he allowed a single to Israel's Assaf Lowengart then hit Tal Erel to force in a run. Mitch Glasser doubled in a pair, then Nikolay Markov relieved and let both inherited runners score, handing Makarkin the loss as he was left with an infinite ERA.

He got his shot at redemption in the 2021 European Championship Qualifier, now back at catcher. He was 2 for 6 with a walk and 3 runs for the champion Russian team, backing up Nikita Monakhov. In the 2021 European Championship itself, he again backed up Monakhov. His first game was against Ukraine. He singled off Mykola Liakhovetskyi and scored, then was hit by a pitcher from Liakhovetskyi. He singled off Ihor Lukin to score Anton Trusov but was thrown out at home later, then struck out in the 6th against Lukin. He made it 3-for-4 with a single off Lukin to bring home Alexander Bolgov as Russia won, 15-5. His other game, he was 1 for 3 with a walk, run and RBI versus Austria, singling off Alessandro Zoufal. His .571 average was second in the Euros among those with 5+ AB, behind Edison Valerio and his .667 OBP was second to Valerio using the same qualifier.