Matt Purke
| IP | 18 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.5 |
| WHIP | 1.778 |
| BB/9 | 6 |
| SO/9 | 7.5 |
- Full name Matthew Taylor Purke
- Born 07/17/1990 in Nacogdoches, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Texas Christian
- Debut 05/20/2016
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Drafted in the 3rd round (96th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2011 (signed for $2,750,000).
View Draft Report
Purke opened the year ranked right behind Anthony Rendon and Gerrit Cole as a potential No. 1 overall pick, but where he'll go in the draft is now wide open. He left an April 16 start against San Diego State after his fastball dropped to 82 mph in the fifth inning, and was diagnosed with shoulder bursitis four days later by orthopedist Dr. James Andrews. Purke didn't pitch again until he threw three shutout innings against New Mexico on May 19. The 14th overall pick in the 2009 draft, he agreed to a $6 million deal with the Rangers, but Major League Baseball (which controlled the club's finances at the time) wouldn't approve the deal because of the team's financial problems. So Purke joined the Horned Frogs and led them to their first-ever College World Series berth in 2010, leading NCAA Division I in wins while going 16-0, 3.02 and winning Baseball America's Freshman of the Year award. He took the summer and fall off and was hampered this season by back and blister issues. Some scouts believe his shoulder problems came because he didn't build up enough arm strength. Others blame his delivery, as the 6-foot-4, 180-pounder slings the ball from a low three-quarters arm slot. His mechanics deteriorated this spring, as he worked from an even lower angle and threw across his body more than usual, causing his stuff to flatten out. When he's healthy, Purke pitches off a lively 91-94 mph fastball that reaches 96 and backs it up with an above-average slider. His changeup has the potential to become a solid third pitch, and he has average command. He exhibited his competitiveness by gutting through nine starts and going 5-1, 1.44. With concerns about his health and signability--he possesses added leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore--it's unclear where Purke might go. He may have to re-establish his value in summer ball, as Anthony Ranaudo did a year ago after a disappointing spring at Louisiana State. He rebounded in the Cape Cod League and got a $2.55 million bonus from the Red Sox as the 39th pick.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Purke has lost prospect luster since the Rangers drafted him 14th overall out of high school in 2009. After a deal with Texas fell apart, he wound up at Texas Christian, where he went 16-0 to earn BA Freshman of the Year honors in 2010. Injuries torpedoed Purke's sophomore season, but the Nationals nevertheless signed their third-rounder for a $2.75 million bonus and $4.15 million total guaranteed. He pitched just 15 innings in his 2012 pro debut before having surgery in August to relieve bursitis and clean out scar tissue in his shoulder. When he returned to action in 2013, Purke's stuff was rather pedestrian, as he worked mostly at 88-91 mph with inconsistent secondary stuff. He was better in the Arizona Fall League, working at 90-93 mph and flashing a plus changeup in the 82-84 range. Purke's changeup projects as an above-average to plus offering that enables him to get swings-and-misses. His slurvy breaking ball sometimes looks more like a show-me curveball in the mid-70s and sometimes like an average 11-to-5 pitch at 78-80 mph. His fastball has decent arm-side run and sink, helping him get groundball outs. Purke's breaking ball should be effective enough against lefties to give him a floor as a middle reliever, but he still has a chance to become a back-end starter if he can harness his command, because he has the makings of three average or better pitches. He'll advance to Double-A Harrisburg in 2014. -
The 14th overall pick in the 2009 draft, Purke agreed to a $6 million bonus with the Rangers, but MLB controlled the club's finances and refused to approve the deal. He went 16-0 to lead Texas Christian to its first College World Series and win Baseball America's Freshman of the Year award in 2010, but shoulder bursitis hampered him as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2011. The Nationals took him in the third round and signed him to a big league deal with a $2.75 million bonus and $4.15 million total guarantee. He pitched just 15 innings in his 2012 pro debut before having surgery in August to relieve the bursitis and clean out scar tissue in his shoulder. When he's at his best, Purke can pound the strike zone with a 91-94 mph fastball that reaches 96. He backs it up with a plus 78-82 mph slider and shows good feel for a changeup. He was never healthy in 2012 and his stuff was down in the three starts he did make. He has a slingy, low three-quarters delivery, and Washington has worked to raise his arm angle in order to prevent his pitches from flattening out. Purke's history of shoulder problems clouds his prospect status, but he has shown No. 2 starter upside in the past. He's expected to be ready for spring training and to open 2013 in low Class A. -
The 14th overall pick in the 2009 draft, Purke agreed to a $6 million bonus with the Rangers, but MLB controlled the club's finances and refused to approve the deal. He went 16-0 to lead Texas Christian to its first College World Series and earn Freshman of the Year honors in 2010. Shoulder bursitis sidelined him for a month in 2011 and dropped him to the third round as a sophomore-eligible, but the Nationals cleared him medically before signing him to a big league deal with a $2.75 million bonus and $4.15 million total guarantee. When fully healthy, Purke pounds the zone with a 91-94 mph fastball that reaches 96, and he backs it up with a plus 78-82 mph slider. He worked at 89-93 mph with his fastball in instructional league before heading to the Arizona Fall League. He also has good feel for a changeup. Purke always had a slingy, low three-quarters arm action, but he dropped his slot even further and threw across his body more in 2011, causing his stuff to flatten out. He did raise his arm angle in instructional league. He's an intense competitor who works quickly. Another potential frontline starter for the Nationals, Purke figures to move quickly if he regains his health. He could start his career in high Class A.
Scouting Reports
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Background: The 14th overall pick in the 2009 draft, Purke agreed to a $6 million bonus with the Rangers, but MLB controlled the club's finances and refused to approve the deal. He went 16-0 to lead Texas Christian to its first College World Series and win Baseball America's Freshman of the Year award in 2010, but shoulder bursitis hampered him as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2011. The Nationals took him in the third round and signed him to a big league deal with a $2.75 million bonus and $4.15 million total guarantee. He pitched just 15 innings in his 2012 pro debut before having surgery in August to relieve the bursitis and clean out scar tissue in his shoulder. Scouting Report: When he's at his best, Purke can pound the strike zone with a 91-94 mph fastball that reaches 96. He backs it up with a plus 78-82 mph slider and shows good feel for a changeup. He was never healthy in 2012 and his stuff was down in the three starts he did make. He has a slingy, low three-quarters delivery, and Washington has worked to raise his arm angle in order to prevent his pitches from flattening out. The Future: Purke's history of shoulder problems clouds his prospect status, but he has shown No. 2 starter upside in the past. He's expected to be ready for spring training and to open 2013 in low Class A. -
Background: The 14th overall pick in the 2009 draft, Purke agreed to a $6 million bonus with the Rangers, but MLB controlled the club's finances and refused to approve the deal. He went 16-0 to lead Texas Christian to its first College World Series and earn Freshman of the Year honors in 2010. Shoulder bursitis sidelined him for month in 2011 and dropped him to the third round as a sophomore-eligible, but the Nationals cleared him medically before signing him to a big league deal with a $2.75 million bonus and $4.15 million total guarantee. Scouting Report: When fully healthy, Purke pounds the strike zone with a lively 91-94 mph fastball that reaches 96, and he backs it up with a plus 78-82 mph slider. He worked at 89-93 mph with his fastball in instructional league before heading to the Arizona Fall League. He also has good feel for a changeup. Purke always has had a slingy, low three-quarters arm action, but he dropped his slot even further and threw across his body more in 2011, causing his stuff to flatten out. He did raise his arm angle in instructional league. He's an intense competitor who works quickly. The Future: Another potential frontline starter for the Nationals, Purke figures to move quickly if he regains his health. He could start his career in high Class A.
