Michael Matuella
| IP | 171 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.316 |
| WHIP | 1.608 |
| BB/9 | 4.053 |
| SO/9 | 8.263 |
- Full name Michael Benjamin Matuella
- Born 06/03/1994 in Great Falls, VA
- Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Duke
-
Drafted in the 3rd round (78th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2015 (signed for $2,000,000).
View Draft Report
In the spring of his sophomore year, Matuella was among the earliest group of players to throw his name into the discussion to go No. 1 overall in 2015, showing elite velocity and four quality pitches. He was electric during the 2014 ACC tournament against Clemson. The righthander then battled back pain, and was eventually diagnosed with spondylosis, a chronic back condition. Matuella rested and rehabilitated throughout the summer and fall, and came back in the spring showing elite stuff yet again. Early in the season he struggled to maintain velocity deep into starts, but still flashed mid-90s velocity with plus movement. After an impressive outing at California to start the season, Matuella sat out for a week due to forearm tightness. When he returned, his stuff and stock began to take steps forward. In short stints, he lacked elite command but showed all four pitches. During a start against Pitt in mid-March, Matuella looked a lot like his old self, working 92-96 and mowing through the lineup through 6 1/3 innings. Then, Matuella suffered from arm issues in a start against Boston College, and needed Tommy John surgery. When he's on the field, Matuella has arguably the best stuff (and control) of any college pitcher in this draft class. His surgery and known chronic back condition complicate things, as does his short performance track record. He never pitched more than 60 innings in a season for Duke and never pitched summer ball such as for USA Baseball or in the Cape Cod League. Some teams will not have Matuella on their draft boards due to the medical reports, while other teams see him as a potential frontline starter that could be had outside of the top few picks.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
The 2017 season was a win for Matuella, simply because he stayed healthy all year. That has been an obstacle for Matuella, who was diagnosed with a chronic back condition while at Duke in the summer of 2014 and had Tommy John in April 2015. Matuella never threw more than 60 innings in a season in college, but the Rangers signed him for $2 million as a third-round pick that year. Matuella rehabbed and pitched one game in 2016 with short-season Spokane, but he felt elbow pain and shut it down the rest of the year. So while Matuella's overall numbers were modest, he checked off the box for the organization's primary goal for him last year. The next step is to try to get all of his pitches working in the same start. His fastball ranged from 92-98 mph depending on the night. His curveball and changeup all flashed plus throughout the season, but rarely in the same outing and with a lot of inconsistency, no surprise given Matuella's multi-year layoff. The Rangers want to keep Matuella as a starter, though given his medical history, a relief role seems like a better bet. The 2018 season will be a big step for Matuella, who's headed for High Class A Down East. -
Matuella is following Tanner Scheppers' path as a Rangers draft pick with electric stuff but durability issues that have hampered him since college. After his sophomore year at Duke, Matuella projected to be a potential No. 1 overall pick for the 2015 draft, but in the summer of 2014 he was diagnosed with spondylosis, a chronic back condition. He was back on the mound his junior year in 2015, but his stuff wasn't quite as crisp, and he had Tommy John surgery that April. Even with the injury and Matuella having never thrown more than 60 innings in college, the Rangers drafted him in the third round in 2015 and signed him for $2 million. He rehabbed and made his pro debut at short-season Spokane in 2016, but after one start felt elbow discomfort and was shut down the rest of the season. At his best, Matuella has good control and a frontline starter's repertoire, sitting 92-96 mph with his two-seamer and touching 98 with plus life. His power curveball and slider were both plus pitches, and while he didn't need his changeup much, it showed signs it could develop into an average pitch. Matuella's makeup will be an asset during the rehab, so the Rangers hold out hope that he can remain a starter. -
After the 2014 college season at Duke, Matuella was a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, but health issues derailed any chance. In the summer of 2014, Matuella was diagnosed with spondylosis, a chronic back condition. He returned in the spring of 2015 for his junior year and didn't show quite the same stuff, then had Tommy John surgery in April. Despite the health concerns, the Rangers signed Matuella for $2 million, well above slot in the third round. He's not expected to return to games until May or June, with the Rangers targeting 80-100 innings for him in 2016. When healthy, Matuella showed four quality pitches with good control, starting with a two-seam fastball that sat 92-96 mph at hit 98 as a sophomore with plus life. His power curveball cranks up to the low-80s with good depth and grades out as plus, while his mid-80s slider flashes above-average as well. He hasn't needed to use his changeup much, but it has shown the makings of developing into an average pitch. Matuella has a ceiling of a frontline starter, but he never threw more than 60 innings in a season at Duke and is a major medical risk. Some scouts have likened him to Tanner Scheppers, whom the Rangers also drafted and signed after significant injury questions cost him in the draft, and Scheppers has had an inconsistent career as a reliever.
Draft Prospects
-
In the spring of his sophomore year, Matuella was among the earliest group of players to throw his name into the discussion to go No. 1 overall in 2015, showing elite velocity and four quality pitches. He was electric during the 2014 ACC tournament against Clemson. The righthander then battled back pain, and was eventually diagnosed with spondylosis, a chronic back condition. Matuella rested and rehabilitated throughout the summer and fall, and came back in the spring showing elite stuff yet again. Early in the season he struggled to maintain velocity deep into starts, but still flashed mid-90s velocity with plus movement. After an impressive outing at California to start the season, Matuella sat out for a week due to forearm tightness. When he returned, his stuff and stock began to take steps forward. In short stints, he lacked elite command but showed all four pitches. During a start against Pitt in mid-March, Matuella looked a lot like his old self, working 92-96 and mowing through the lineup through 6 1/3 innings. Then, Matuella suffered from arm issues in a start against Boston College, and needed Tommy John surgery. When he's on the field, Matuella has arguably the best stuff (and control) of any college pitcher in this draft class. His surgery and known chronic back condition complicate things, as does his short performance track record. He never pitched more than 60 innings in a season for Duke and never pitched summer ball such as for USA Baseball or in the Cape Cod League. Some teams will not have Matuella on their draft boards due to the medical reports, while other teams see him as a potential frontline starter that could be had outside of the top few picks.
