Drey Jameson honors roots with cartoony shoes as he hunts for more major league usage

Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher Drey Jameson has had his share of up and down luck from the Triple-A level to MLB ever since his big league debut in 2022, but one part of his game has remain unchanged: his affinity for cartoon-ing up his cleats.

“It’s something to show my character and who I am and where I come from, and I was a big cartoon person growing up. I still am today,” Jameson told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Tuesday. “I think we play a kids game as grown men and why not incorporate a little bit of the background of how I got here and what I was doing growing up.”

The 28-year-old from Greenfield, Indiana, said his all-time favorite series growing up was “SpongeBob,” which debuted in 1999 and is still running presently. “Jimmy Neutron,” also a Nickelodeon staple of the early 2000s, was another that Jameson spent hours upon hours watching.

His late-night pleasure — airing when he probably should’ve been in bed — was Cartoon Network’s “Courage the Cowardly Dog.”

Funnily enough, however, Jameson said the first pair of baseball shoes he had cartoon-ed up were based on a show he still hasn’t watched a single episode of: “Rick and Morty.”

“I will admit that I have never watched ‘Rick and Morty’ and I’ve yet to watch ‘Rick and Morty,'” Jameson confessed. “But that’s the only turf cleat, whatever you want to call, (with a show) that I have personally not watched.”

While he has his childhood favorites, Jameson also has a soft spot for “The Simpsons” as the D-backs reliever had the opportunity last offseason to record a podcast with Yeardley Smith, who voices Lisa Simpson.

He, with Smith’s help, created a Lisa Simpson-themed cleat with the phrase, “Rent is due everyday” printed opposite of the cartoon character.

“(I) ended up getting a belt made to go along with (the shoes), but yeah, Yeardley Smith is amazing and definitely someone that if you ever get a chance to talk to, it’s worth it for sure,” Jameson said.

 

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Drey Jameson feeling healthy, hungry for more big league outings

Besides getting acquainted with cartoon legends over the offseason, Jameson also saw his elbow health benefit in a big way from using botox.

He said Tuesday, 10 days after being called up to the D-backs, that he hasn’t experienced any discomfort this season between Reno and Phoenix (23 total appearances). His 2025 campaign was shortened due to elbow pain on the heels of his entire 2024 season being shut down due to Tommy John surgery.

“I’m still trying to figure out how to get the slider to slide and get the curveball to curve. That’s also another pitch that I’ve added to my repertoire is the curveball, sweeper, or whatever you want to call it,” Jameson said.

“But for the most part, man, I’ve felt good, the body’s felt good. I’ve been balancing back. The downtime between outings, I’m not really sore. So that’s a good sign and I’m just glad to be back and hopefully get the ball a little more.”

The 6-footer logged two appearances and 3.2 innings pitched entering Tuesday after being recalled from Triple-A, allowing two hits, two earned runs and three walks when facing the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins. He struck out two batters while averaging 96.4 mph on his four-seam fastball, according to Baseball Savant.

Jameson got the ball from manager Torey Lovullo for the third time this season in Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Angels, punching out three while allowing two hits and one run in two innings. Of his 27 pitches, 22 landed for strikes and he topped out at 97.2 mph, according to MLB Statcast.

Jameson said his average pitch velocity right after his September 2023 Tommy John surgery was “almost 100,” but his four-seamer and sinker now average between 96 and 98 since honing back in on the strike zone this season.

He posted a 7.33 ERA in 21 Triple-A appearances before his June 6 call-up, with 19 earned runs allowed and a 1.58 WHIP over 23.1 innings.

“For me, that’s the biggest step that from surgery to now is that I’m really trying to learn how to sequence, how to read swings and get quick outs rather than strikeouts (which) are great,” Jameson said. “Everyone wants to see you go out there and strikeout the world. But my arm wants me to get first-pitch outs.”

Arizona’s bullpen has certainly been one of the club’s strengths in 2026, so Jameson recognized outings from outside the regular rotation of a Paul Sewald, Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, Taylor Clarke and Jonathan Loaisiga may be tough to come by.

There’s not much he said he can do, other than just maintain the same mindset that got him back up to Chase Field.

“I’m a competitor. I’m not a guy that likes to sit back and watch and collect checks. It’s not who I am,” Jameson said.

“I think my role as of right now is a long (reliever) guy and and I’m all for that. Ultimately, hopefully I can establish myself that way.”

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