Matt LaPorta Stats & Scouting Report

AB	967
AVG	.238
OBP	.301
SLG	.393
HR	31

Full name Matthew Vincent LaPorta
Born 01/08/1985 in Port Charlotte, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Florida
Debut 05/03/2009
Drafted in the 1st round (7th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007 (signed for $2,000,000).

View Draft Report

LaPorta led the nation in home runs as a sophomore in 2005, slugging 26 to set a school record. His power binge continued during that summer, when he anchored the heart of the order for Team USA's college national squad. His junior season was another story. He strained an oblique muscle in February, missed 13 games and never got untracked. The Red Sox drafted him in the 14th round last June, but he stuck to his bonus demands, reportedly $1 million, and returned to Gainesville for his senior season, with outstanding results. His .579 on-base percentage led the nation, as did his 1.432 on-base plus slugging. He has improved his approach and kept his hands inside the ball better this year, making better contact, and his plus-plus raw power remains a game-changing tool. When he gets his arms extended, he can launch balls out to all parts of the park. He's a below-average defensive player who is relegated to first base as a professional, but could be taken in the top half of the first round this year nonetheless. His adviser is Scott Boras, which can always be a factor in where a player goes.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

After signing for $2 million as the seventh overall pick in the 2007 draft, LaPorta opened his first full pro season in Double-A and was named to the Futures Game before the Brewers made him the key chip they used to acquire C.C. Sabathia. Shortly afterward, he left for the Beijing Olympics.LaPorta's physical frame, strength and load in his swing help him generate well above-average power. He has the patience to take walks, and he also aggressively punishes mistakes. He can drive the ball out of the park to all fields when he gets his arms extended. Though he played first base at Florida, scouts have been impressed with his outfield instincts.Like a lot of power hitters, LaPorta still has some holes in his swing--in his case, high and inside, and against offspeed pitches low and away. He struggled after the trade and again in Venezuelan winter ball when pitchers fed him soft stuff in hitter's counts. Though he has some feel for the outfield, he has below-average speed and range with fringy arm strength. Though the Indians could use his power now, LaPorta likely will begin 2009 at their new Triple-A Columbus affiliate. Depending on the needs of the club, he could play either first base or left field, and he'll have an above-average bat at any position.
The Brewers pulled the first surprise in the 2007 draft when they called out LaPorta's name with the seventh overall selection in the first round. They already had a young, slugging first baseman by the name of Prince Fielder emerging as a superstar in the majors, and no one figured they'd take another. But they had another plan in mind for LaPorta. Milwaukee believed that his advanced bat was a steal at No. 7 and that he could make the transition to left field, having evaluated him in predraft workouts. He wasn't even supposed to be available in the 2007 draft. After leading NCAA Division I hitters with 26 homers as a sophomore at Florida, he figured to be a first-round pick in 2006. But when he was bothered that spring by an oblique injury, he hit just .259 with 14 homers and dropped to the Red Sox in the 14th round of the draft. LaPorta returned to the Gators and batted .402 with 20 homers as a senior, leading Division I with a .582 on-base percentage and 1.399 on-base plus slugging. The first-ever two-time Southeastern Conference player of the year, he signed quickly with the Brewers for $2 million, though he didn't make his pro debut until the end of July because he had an injured quadriceps muscle. LaPorta hit a homer in his first game at Rookie-level Helena and mashed 12 in 115 at-bats overall. Milwaukee sent LaPorta to the Arizona Fall League in an effort to give him more at-bats and work in left field while also showing confidence he could adapt to advanced competition. LaPorta has game-changing power and doesn't have to pull the ball to get it out of the park. Area scouts who covered him said his approach improved in 2007, and he also kept his hands inside the ball better and made more consistent hard contact. He also has a good eye at the plate and will take a walk if he doesn't get a pitch to hammer. The Brewers also like his poise and maturity, which is why they weren't nervous about challenging him with the AFL assignment. LaPorta's willingness to move from first base to left field and his work ethic in doing so also impressed club officials. Milwaukee isn't asking LaPorta to be anything more than an average left fielder. After all, they committed to Carlos Lee in left a few years back, and as one club official noted, "This guy's better than Carlos Lee." LaPorta still has to learn how to handle breaking balls, both quality pitches for strikes and those off the plate. He's a below-average athlete and runner, and his arm strength is fringy. He doesn't have the speed to run down many balls in the gap, but he has shown improved instincts in left field. He still needs to work on getting the ball to the cutoff man quickly and mastering the other nuances of outfield play. He spent a lot of time in the AFL learning to read balls off the bat. LaPorta's AFL experience may allow him to bypass high Class A Brevard County and start 2008 at Double-A Huntsville. As with 2005 first-rounder Ryan Braun, LaPorta shouldn't need much more than a full season in the minors before becoming an impact hitter in Milwaukee.

Minor League Top Prospects

The seventh overall pick in the 2007 draft and the key player for the Indians in the trade that sent C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers a year later, LaPorta is known primarily for his offense with well-above-average power potential and an aggressive yet disciplined approach at the plate. That mindset helped him make a smooth transition to the majors after he got called up for good in mid-August. "He's a dangerous hitter," Louisville manager Rick Sweet said. "You can't pitch him the same way to get him out. I like his approach to hitting. He gives you little room for error and covers the strike zone. He has power to all fields. He's a strong, strong kid." The biggest question surrounding LaPorta is where he'll play on defense, as he has below-average speed and range to go with a fringy arm. The Indians had him split time between the outfield and first base, and they raved about his development at both positions. While with Cleveland, he played mostly in left field, where he projects as an average defender at best.
LaPorta had an eventful first full season in pro baseball. After being named to the Futures Game while with Huntsville, he went to the Indians as the centerpiece of the deal that made C.C. Sabathia a Brewer. LaPorta played in the Double-A Eastern League after the trade, as well as Team USA's bronze-medal winning Olympic team. With a physical frame, strength and a good load in his swing, LaPorta has 70 power on the 20-80 scouting scale. He has the patience to take his walks, but he's still an aggressive hitter who punishes mistakes. Like a lot of power hitters, LaPorta still has some holes in his swing--high and inside, and against offspeed pitches low and away--but when he gets his arms extended he can drive the ball out of the park to all fields. A first baseman in college, he shifted to the outfield after signing because Milwaukee had Prince Fielder. LaPorta has surprised scouts with his instincts and reads off the bat in the outfield. However, he has a thick lower half and is a below-average runner with below-average range, so a move back to first base is possible.