Matt Reynolds Stats & Scouting Report

AB	475
AVG	.229
OBP	.301
SLG	.326
HR	7

Full name Matthew William Reynolds
Born 12/03/1990 in Tulsa, OK
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Arkansas
Debut 05/17/2016
Drafted in the 2nd round (71st overall) by the New York Mets in 2012 (signed for $525,000).

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Reynolds opened his college career as a shortstop before a torn thumb ligament short-circuited his freshman season. He has played more at third base since, both for the Razorback and for USA Baseball's college national team last summer. He's a solid athlete with a tweener profile: defensive tools suited for third and a bat that profiles better up the middle. Reynolds lacks third-base power, with a line-drive, gap-to-gap approach. He doesn't have the proper load in his swing to produce more than fringe-average power. He responded well to last summer's challenge of playing with Team USA and later in the Cape Cod League, improving his preparation and pushing himself to improve. He was Arkansas' best hitter this spring (.350/.460/.541) thanks to a more consistent approach and better patience at the plate. He's an average runner who can steal a bag as well. Reynolds may hit his way into an everyday role if he gets the chance to play shortstop or second base as a pro, as he has soft hands, good footwork and an above-average arm.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Reynolds' performance swung dramatically from one extreme to the other early in his pro career. The 2012 second-rounder hit just .226 at high Class A St. Lucie in 2013 but followed with a .343 campaign in 2014 that got him to Triple-A Las Vegas in the second half and placed him sixth in the overall minor league batting race. Reynolds spent most of 2015 and 2016 in the Pacific Coast League, establishing himself as a near-average hitter with gap power and solid-average speed. He hits lefthanders particularly well, though he strikes out too much for a player with only modest power. Reynolds made his big league debut in 2016, receiving four different callups to New York and starting games at shortstop, second base and third base. That versatility will be Reynolds' ticket to an expanded role. While he has ordinary range, he has sound hands, a high game IQ and the plus arm to handle any infield assignment. Scouts see him as a future utility infielder or possible second-division starter at second base.
When Reynolds hit .343 at two levels in 2014 and challenged for the minor league batting title--he finished sixth in the race--he appeared to be positioned for a big league callup in 2015. That call came on Oct. 12, on the heels of a mediocre season at Triple-A Las Vegas and as an injury replacement for shortstop Ruben Tejada, who suffered a broken right fibula when the Dodgers' Chase Utley barreled into him during an attempted double-play pivot in the National League Division Series. Reynolds played third base at Arkansas and has played mostly shortstop as a pro, but scouts envision him at second base or in a utility role in the majors. A heady player who positions himself well on defense, he has the average range and arm strength to handle any infield assignment. Reynolds recognizes pitch types well and uses a short swing geared for contact to wear out the gaps. He won't hit many home runs, but he sees lefthanders well and has hit .329 against them in the high minors. He doesn't run all that well, but his instincts play on the bases. Reynolds might be in the wrong organization to break in as a utility player. Above him on the middle-infield depth chart are Wilmer Flores, Dilson Herrera and Tejada, while Gavin Cecchini and Amed Rosario are climbing the ladder behind him. Reynolds will be at Las Vegas in 2016 in the event the Mets need an infield assist.
Reynolds evokes comparisons with Mark Ellis and Mark Loretta for his hard-nosed, gamer approach and his background as a college shortstop who probably fits best at second base in the majors. He challenged for the minor league batting title in 2014, ranking sixth while hitting .343/.405/.454 at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas. Reynolds projects to be an average hitter, owing to his balanced, line-drive stroke and quiet hitting approach. He doesn't loft the ball for home-run power, but he can put the ball in play to the gaps for doubles, particularly to right-center field. He's a below-average runner, though quick enough to make all the routine plays at shortstop, with the sure hands and average, accurate arm to play any infield position capably. Reynolds' probable big league role ranges from utility infielder to starting second baseman, but he shouldn't require much more Triple-A time in 2015.
The Mets prioritized makeup, contact ability and strike-zone discipline when selecting position players at the top of the 2012 draft, and Gavin Cecchini, Kevin Plawecki and Reynolds all fit the description. A torn thumb ligament forced Reynolds off shortstop as an Arkansas freshman, and he wound up playing mostly third base in college. After signing him for $525,000 in the second round, New York shifted him back to shortstop and jumped him to Savannah, bypassing Cecchini in Rookie-level Kingsport and Phillip Evans in Brooklyn. Reynolds draws below-average grades for power, as he's more of a line-drive, gap-to-gap hitter, as well as his speed. One scout timed him at 4.5 seconds to first base, good for a 30 grade on the 20-80 scale. The Mets love his short stroke, strike-zone control and defensive actions. "He's a cool customer," said one club official, "He takes a cerebral, low-key approach to hitting. He's not an anxious hitter--he's just a hitter." Reynolds adjusted after a slow start at the plate and applies instruction well, drawing comparisons to a young Aaron Hill. His lack of quickness might not make him a safe bet at shortstop, though his above-average arm, soft hands and sure feet would fit at second or third base. The Mets expect him to be ready for high Class A in his first full pro season.

Draft Prospects

Reynolds opened his college career as a shortstop before a torn thumb ligament short-circuited his freshman season. He has played more at third base since, both for the Razorback and for USA Baseball's college national team last summer. He's a solid athlete with a tweener profile: defensive tools suited for third and a bat that profiles better up the middle. Reynolds lacks third-base power, with a line-drive, gap-to-gap approach. He doesn't have the proper load in his swing to produce more than fringe-average power. He responded well to last summer's challenge of playing with Team USA and later in the Cape Cod League, improving his preparation and pushing himself to improve. He was Arkansas' best hitter this spring (.350/.460/.541) thanks to a more consistent approach and better patience at the plate. He's an average runner who can steal a bag as well. Reynolds may hit his way into an everyday role if he gets the chance to play shortstop or second base as a pro, as he has soft hands, good footwork and an above-average arm.