Matt Green
| IP | 398 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.839 |
| WHIP | 1.575 |
| BB/9 | 3.392 |
| SO/9 | 7.349 |
- Full name Matthew Martin Green
- Born 01/05/1982 in Shreveport, LA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Louisiana - Monroe
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Drafted in the 2nd round (49th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005 (signed for $500,000).
View Draft Report
Green's career at Louisiana-Monroe took a while to get started. He missed what would have been his freshman year in 2002 when he was hit in the head by a line drive during offseason workouts and spent most of 2003 in the bullpen. He was eligible but went undrafted the last two years, though he started to come on in 2004. His $150,000 price tag was too rich for clubs in the draft, but he generated free-agent interest during the summer, when he was rated the top prospect in the Jayhawk League and starred at the National Baseball Congress World Series. This spring, his first as a full-time starter, Green led NCAA Division I with 135 strikeouts in 97 innings through mid-May. His fastball has sat at 91-93 mph all year, and scouts saw it hit 97 mph last summer when he pitched in relief. He backs up his heat with a tight, low-80s slider. He has the makings of a good changeup, but rarely uses it because it's the pitch he threw when he got drilled during batting practice three years ago. There's a split camp on whether he'll be a starter or reliever as a pro, but there's a universal appreciation for his arm and pitcher's body.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Some thought Green was a reach in the second round when the Diamondbacks drafted him in 2005, and in his first two seasons he certainly looked like a bust. He developed slowly at Louisiana-Monroe and wasn't a full-time starter until his redshirt junior year in '05, when he finished fifth in NCAA Division I with 141 strikeouts in 105 innings. Arizona signed him for $500,000, but he didn't show the same stuff and struggled with his command, posting 5.55 and 5.14 ERAs at his first two minor league stops. But Green reinvigorated his prospect status in 2007, again showing a 91-93 mph fastball that peaked a few miles an hour faster, backed by a power slider. Scouts also were impressed by how he competed in the Mobile rotation, as he and Esmerling Vasquez provided a potent 1-2 punch and finished among the Southern League leaders in ERA, innings and strikeouts. Green's mechanics aren't smooth or easy, and his changeup still needs work, as does his command. But with his fastball/slider combo, he should at least end up as a quality reliever. He'll compete for a Triple-A rotation spot this spring and he'll get a big league look soon if he has another strong season. -
Green was one of the top high school prospects in Louisiana in 2001, but he decided to stay at home and pitch at Louisiana-Monroe, where his father Jerry once played basketball. Green missed his freshman year after taking a line drive to the head, and went undrafted despite being eligible in 2003 and 2004. He began to generate some buzz after his sophomore year with a strong showing in the summer Jayhawk League, and he took another step forward last spring under the tutelage of Indians alumnus and volunteer assistant coach Chuck Finley, a 200-game winner in the big leagues. Green finished fifth in NCAA Division I with 141 strikeouts as a junior before signing for $500,000 bonus as a second-round pick. His main weapon is a 91-93 mph fastball that touches 97. His primary breaking pitch is a slider known more for its velocity than break, though it has the makings of a plus pitch. His changeup also shows promise. Green needs to pitch with more confidence, as he's prone to attempting to get batters to chase pitches as opposed to challenging them. The Diamondbacks see Green as a future starter, though some scouts see him as more of a lateinning reliever. He'll begin the year in the rotation at one of Arizona's two Class A affiliates
