Matthew Way
| IP | 135 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.867 |
| WHIP | 1.222 |
| BB/9 | 2.533 |
| SO/9 | 8.667 |
- Full name Matthew G. Way
- Born 01/25/1987 in Sitka, AK
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Washington State
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Drafted in the 5th round (167th overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009 (signed for $40,000).
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Washington State lefthander Matt Way doesn't wow you when he pounds the outer half with straight 88-90 mph fastballs. He does, however, have an above-average changeup that ranked as the best in the Pac-10 this season. He grips the change with his pointer finger curled in like a spike curve, causing the pitch to appear as though it's fluttering up to the plate, eventually taking a sharp drop down and in to lefthanded hitters. He throws it with good deception and confidence. Hailing from Sitka, Alaska, Way had a little further to go than most college players. He mostly throws his fastball and changeup, and his slider is a work in progress. He steps across his body and throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot, so he doesn't get a lot of tilt on the pitch, making it sweepy and flat. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is a good athlete who swam and wrestled in high school, and a great teammate who prepares hard for his starts all week. He projects to be the first Northwest senior off the board, likely around the seventh round--much higher than when the Giants selected him last year with their 36th-round pick.
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For the second straight year, the Phillies got strong early returns from the college pitchers in their draft. Nick Hernandez (12th round) and Austin Hyatt (15th) tore up the New York-Penn League, while Way did the same before earning a promotion and easily handling low Class A hitters. A fifth-rounder who signed for $40,000 as a college senior, the Alaska native turned down the Giants as a 36th-round pick in 2008. He led Washington State to its first NCAA regional berth since 1990 in the spring, and capped his pro debut by contributing two fine playoff starts to Lakewood's championship run. He reached 190 innings between college and pro ball, but Philadelphia isn't overly concerned. Way relies on a downhill fastball that sits in the upper 80s touches 90-91 mph, and a solid to plus changeup that locks up righthanders. They hit just .197 against him in pro ball, with one home run in 234 at-bats. His slider has been short throughout his career, which hinders his chances of moving into a lefty specialist role if he can't stick as a starter. His sinker and changeup may be good enough to keep in the rotation, however. He'll open his first full season in high Class A.
