[1] He graduated from Brooklyn's Lincoln High School in 1973, and was the first round selection (14th pick overall) of the hometown New York Mets in the 1973 Major League Baseball draft.

[4] In 1979, Mazzilli had his best statistical season, and led the Mets with 4.7 fWAR, 137 WRC+, 181 hits and 79 runs batted in, 93 walks against only 74 strikeouts,[5] and was one of their two representatives at the All-Star Game in Seattle (the other being catcher John Stearns).

After a 1981 season in which he hit only .228 and was hampered by injuries to his back and elbow, Mazzilli was traded from the Mets to the Texas Rangers for Ron Darling and Walt Terrell on April 1, 1982.

[8] Mazzilli played only 58 games with Texas and was traded to the New York Yankees for Bucky Dent midway through the 1982 season.

Prior to the 1983 season, Mazzilli was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Tim Burke, Don Aubin, John Holland, and Jose Rivera.

The Mets were early favorites to reach the post-season in 1986, and prior to the start of the season offered third baseman Ray Knight to the Pirates for Mazzilli.

His final major league at bat came on September 29, 1989 when the Toronto Blue Jays were hosting the Baltimore Orioles.

Mazzilli and Pirates teammates Dale Berra, Lee Lacy, John Milner and Dave Parker, along with several other notable major league players, were called before a Pittsburgh grand jury for their involvement in the Pittsburgh cocaine distribution trial of Curtis Strong.

The 2005 team compiled a surprising record of 42 wins and 30 losses while spending 62 days in first place in AL East.

Mazzilli's brother Fredo introduced him in 1981 to Danielle Folquet, a host of the New York City edition of PM Magazine.