In a scene that had fans doing a double take, Marlins pitching prospect Aiden May took the mound sporting some eye-catching tinted eyewear during Thursday’s Spring Breakout game at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. With the weather playing games between sunny, cloudy, and rainy, May’s Oakley transition lenses looked more like sunglasses as he delivered two scoreless innings.
May, a second-round pick by Miami in the 2024 Draft, found out at the Draft Combine that he needed corrective lenses. However, it wasn't until this past offseason that he decided to take action. The decision was so recent that May still isn't sure of his prescription strength.
“This is the first time in my life I've ever worn glasses,” May shared. “I got these this offseason because I really needed them.
I thought transition lenses would be cool, but they ended up being sunglasses since it’s bright out. They lighten up later in the day.
It’s not the usual look, but they’ve been working for me so far.”
May isn’t breaking new ground with his tinted lenses. Notable pitchers like Yankees’ Kei Igawa and Pirates’ Kent Tekulve have rocked sunglasses on the mound in their careers.
May commented, “I’ve considered contacts, but I kind of like the glasses vibe. Maybe I’ll get some regular glasses instead of transitions.
It’s unique, and I’ve seen a lot of Korean and Japanese pitchers embrace the sunglasses look. Maybe it’s some accidental influence from them.”
Turning 23 on April 22, May allowed just one hit but had to navigate through six walks while teaming up with right-hander Karson Milbrandt. Despite the challenges, May was thrilled to be part of the prospect showcase.
After elbow surgery delayed his professional debut until July 2025, May quickly made up for lost time, pitching across three levels and earning accolades like the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week at Single-A Jupiter. He even started High-A Beloit’s first postseason game.
Like Milbrandt, May also participated in last year’s Arizona Fall League to gain more innings. Over five AFL starts, he struck out 15 and walked eight across 15 1/3 innings.
“I’ve been feeling great,” May said. “Today, the feel wasn’t quite there, but the stuff was good.
I’m working hard to get back to that ‘flow state’ where you’re just pitching without overthinking. Right now, I’m focused on feeling healthy.
Last year, I missed camp due to injury, so it’s awesome to be out here with the guys instead of watching from the dugout. It wasn’t perfect today, but there’s a lot I’ll take from this to improve.”