Matthias Dietz
| IP | 239 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.331 |
| WHIP | 1.464 |
| BB/9 | 4.105 |
| SO/9 | 7.418 |
- Full name Matthias Joseph Dietz
- Born 09/20/1995 in Orland Park, IL
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School John A. Logan CC
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Drafted in the 2nd round (69th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2016 (signed for $1,300,000).
View Draft Report
Dietz was already a big righthander as a freshman at Logan, but when Dietz returned for fall ball before his sophomore season he had grown an inch and a half and added 10-15 pounds of good weight. The growth spurt turned an intriguing arm into a dominant one, as Dietz went from sitting 91-93 mph to 91-96. The increased arm speed has also helped sharpen Dietz's slider and his changeup has improved as well-he ranked among national junior college leaders in strikeouts and wins. Both his secondary offerings need continued refinement, but his slider has a chance to be at least average. Dietz is committed to attend Texas Christian if he doesn't sign, but his fastball should entice some team to take him early enough to keep him from Division I.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Track Record: Dietz was the top junior college pitcher in the 2016 draft thanks to a growth spurt between seasons, and he signed for an above-slot $1.3 million as the 69th overall pick. A big-armed but raw pitcher, Dietz didn't start getting results until he repeated low Class A Delmarva in 2018. He was a South Atlantic League all-star but stumbled upon a promotion to high Class A Frederick, where he walked more than a batter per inning with a 2.06 WHIP.
Scouting Report: Even when effective, Dietz struggles with both command and control, which limits his entire package. His fastball sits 92-96 mph with run and is a touch firmer in shorter stints, with his mid-80s slider far ahead of his firm, below-average changeup. He struggles to put all the pieces of his delivery together consistently, and thus can't consistently command any of his pitches.
The Future: Anyone with Dietz's arm will get plenty of chances. The Orioles feel it suits his development to start so he can hone his delivery and secondary pitches. His future is almost certainly in the bullpen, where he has a middle-relief profile--if he can rein in his control. He could be back in Frederick to open 2019. -
A growth spurt between Dietz's freshman and sophomore seasons at John A. Logan (Ill.) JC made him the top junior college arm in the 2016 draft, and the Orioles' selected him in the second round and lured him away from a commitment to Texas Christian with a $1.5 million bonus. Dietz stumbled at short-season Aberdeen in the New York-Penn League in his professional debut, pitching to a 4.82 ERA with an identical 4.82 walks per nine innings and a 1.71 WHIP. His assignment to low Class A Delmarva this year was a learning experience for a pitcher who's very young in baseball terms. His fastball, which projects to be a plus pitch at 92-96 mph with occasional armside run from a low three-quarters arm slot, can be erratic both in and out of the zone. His slider is the most advanced of his secondary pitches with average potential, while he also throws a firm changeup that is a below-average offering. Dietz is still learning his delivery and all that comes with pitching, and a return to Delmarva in 2018 to reinforce those could be in play for the 22-year-old. -
The top junior-college pitcher available in the 2016 draft, Dietz was the Orioles' second-round pick at No. 69 overall and signed for $1.3 million. Dietz grew and added weight between his freshman and sophomore seasons at John A. Logan JC and became the second-highest drafted player in school history. He is a physical, 6-foot-5 righthander who throws a 92-93 mph fastball that touches 97 to go with a slider, changeup and curveball. A high-energy pitcher, he rushed his delivery early in outings for short-season Aberdeen, leading to eight walks in 10.2 innings to start his pro career. Once he gained composure and tempo, he walked just two in his final eight innings. Dietz's mid- to upper-80s slider ranks as his best secondary pitch right now, followed by his curveball and changeup, which he rarely used in college. One scout said Dietz appears animated on the mound and needs to channel that. Another described him as more raw and reported that he needed to better command both sides of the plate with his fastball. Dietz will try to address those concerns when he begins his first full season in 2017 at low Class A Delmarva.
Draft Prospects
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Dietz was already a big righthander as a freshman at Logan, but when Dietz returned for fall ball before his sophomore season he had grown an inch and a half and added 10-15 pounds of good weight. The growth spurt turned an intriguing arm into a dominant one, as Dietz went from sitting 91-93 mph to 91-96. The increased arm speed has also helped sharpen Dietz's slider and his changeup has improved as well-he ranked among national junior college leaders in strikeouts and wins. Both his secondary offerings need continued refinement, but his slider has a chance to be at least average. Dietz is committed to attend Texas Christian if he doesn't sign, but his fastball should entice some team to take him early enough to keep him from Division I.
