Matt Chico Stats & Scouting Report

IP	220
ERA	4.95
WHIP	1.559
BB/9	3.723
SO/9	5.236

Full name Matthew Bryan Chico
Born 06/10/1983 in Fullerton, CA
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Palomar CC
Debut 04/04/2007
Drafted in the 3rd round (96th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2003 (signed for $365,000).

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Former USC LHP Matt Chico also has people wondering where he'll be picked. A Red Sox second-rounder out of a San Diego high school two years ago, Chico flunked out of school in the fall semester of his sophomore year at USC because he didn't attend classes, and he wasn't even eligible to play at Palomar JC when he transferred there after Christmas. He spent this spring pitching on Sundays in a San Diego semipro league. He has attracted as many as 15 scouts a game, but he hasn't shown the same 92-93 mph velocity or command that he had in high school. He's also put on weight and is out of shape. Chico turned down almost $700,000 out of high school because his father wanted him to go to college, and he'll be offered only a fraction of that amount this time.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

After turning down $700,000 as a Red Sox second-round pick out of high school, Chico flunked out of Southern California and a junior college, landing in a San Diego semipro league when the Diamondbacks drafted him in 2003. He showed flashes of promise in his first three seasons in the Arizona system before coming over to the Nationals along with Garrett Mock in an August deal for Livan Hernandez. With a build reminiscent of Mike Hampton's and a tenacious mindset to match, Chico has a deceptive delivery and keeps hitters off balance with a four-pitch mix. He spots his fastball to all four quadrants of the strike zone, relying heavily on an 88-91 mph two-seamer and mixing in a four-seamer that he can run up to 93-94. He adds and subtracts from his average curveball and throws his average changeup for strikes any time he wants. Chico isn't a soft-tosser, but he's also far from overpowering. He gets into trouble when he tries to blow hitters away, though he has done a better job of setting them up since getting rocked in Double-A at the beginning of 2005. Chico could be a No. 4 starter in the big leagues as soon as 2007 for the pitching-starved Nationals. He'll probably open the year at Washington's new Triple- A Columbus affililate unless he's lights out in spring training.
Chico took a circuitous route into the pros, turning down nearly $700,000 as a Red Sox second-round pick out of high school, then flunking out of Southern California and Palomar (Calif.) Junior College. He was pitching in a San Diego semipro league when the Diamondbacks took him in the third round in 2003. He had no trouble with the lower levels of pro ball but got hit hard in Double-A in both 2004 and 2005. After Chico was demoted to high Class A last year, Lancaster pitching coach Jeff Pico changed his approach and tweaked his mechanics. Chico has the stuff to be a starter in the big leagues, starting with a fastball that sits at 88-91 mph and can touch 94. He has an average curveball and has made nice progress with his changeup, which he throws with good arm action. Chico must learn how to set up batters more effectively. He displays a lot of confidence on the mound, but needs to understand how to pitch as opposed to trying to blow batters away. Chico was one of the youngest starting pitchers in the Southern League last year, and the Diamondbacks hope his experience there will serve as a lesson learned. He'll return there to start 2006.
Chico's entry into pro baseball had more that its share of detours. Selected by the Red Sox in the second round out of high school, Chico turned down nearly $700,000. By his sophomore year, he had flunked out of Southern California and junior college, reducing him to pitching in a San Diego semipro league in 2003. The Diamondbacks signed him for $365,000 that June. Chico blew away low Class A hitters last year, using a low-90s fastball with good movement. His curveball features late, sharp, downward break and his changeup should become an average offering. Arizona praises his work ethic and bulldog mentality. Chico is a little short, so his pitches lack downward plane. While he spins his curveball well, he has problems throwing strikes with it. He has little confidence in his secondary pitches and sometimes tries to rely solely on his heater. Chico's shortcomings were more evident in Double-A, but he finished strong. He'll return there in 2005, working toward reaching his ceiling as a middle-of-the-rotation starter.
Chico enjoyed plenty of hype coming out of high school, having pitched for two U.S. junior national teams and getting drafted in the second round by the Red Sox. He turned Boston down to attend Southern California and was the Trojans' Opening Day starter in 2002, but left after his freshman year because of academic troubles. He attended Palomar (Calif.) JC last year, but was ineligible to play there because of poor grades. He pitched in a beer league in California and Diamondbacks scouts spotted him there. Chico's body type, mentality and pitching style are similar to Mike Hampton, though he has much more velocity. Chico is a bulldog with a 92-93 mph fastball that tops out at 96-97. He works it to all quadrants of the strike zone. Chico also uses a curveball with a hard downward break and has shown a feel for a changeup. He does struggle with the consistency of his offspeed pitches, and often relies too much on his fastball because he doesn't want to get beat with anything but his best pitch. He'll need to develop his other offerings if he's to reach his ceiling of a middle-of-the-rotation starter. He's also working on adding a cutter. Chico is destined for low Class A in 2004.

Minor League Top Prospects

College never took with Chico, a prized Southern California recruit who left because of poor grades and wasn't eligible to play at a junior college after transferring. The Diamondbacks sent an area scout to watch him in a San Diego semipro league and considered him a value in the third round in June. Chico's fastball averages 91-92 mph and he topped out at 96 while working both sides of the plate. He sometimes was a one-pitch pitcher as his breaking ball and changeup lacked consistency. Mechanics were the culprit, as a sometimes violent delivery hampered Chico's command of his offspeed pitches. "He threw the ball well against us," Grifol said. "His good fastball, it just dominated us for four or five innings. He didn't really use anything else."