Matt Lindstrom

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #18 prospect in 2007
  Lindstrom spent two years on a Mormon mission in Sweden before returning to the United States in 2001 to pitch at Ricks (Idaho) Junior College with his brother Rob. He first gained attention as a pro with his impressive velocity in the Arizona Fall League in 2004, and he finally put up big strikeout numbers in 2006. He played in the Futures Game and stood out even among the best pitching prospects in the game with his triple-digit velocity. The Mets included him a four-pitcher swap with the Marlins in December. With a fastball that sits at 94-97 mph and has touched 101, Lindstrom throws as hard as anyone in the minors, and his command vastly improved last season. His fastball is relatively straight, though, and he has been working on various grips and finger pressures to increase movement. His slider has emerged as his second-best pitch. He throws it at 83-86 mph, but he has a tendency to get under it. He also toys with a changeup and a curveball, but now that he is strictly a reliever it's unlikely he'll need them much. Lindstrom does need to improve his pitch selection and the way he attacks hitters. His performance has improved significantly since switching exclusively to relief in 2005, and he should win a spot in the Florida bullpen in spring training.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #25 prospect in 2006
  Lindstrom spent two years on a Mormon mission in Sweden, returning in 2001 to pitch at Ricks (Idaho) JC with his brother Rob. A product of eastern Idaho, his baseball experience already was limited by weather in high school, so he's still raw despite his age. He wowed scouts with his arm strength during the Arizona Fall League in 2004, and as a result the Mets protected him on their 40-man roster. Lindstrom possesses the most explosive arm in the system with a fastball that sits at 94-96 mph and has touched 100. While his heater has impressive velocity, his strikeout numbers are just pedestrian because he lacks movement, command and deception. Hitters get a good look at the ball coming out of his hand. He has a hard time throwing his fastball for strikes, let alone locating it within the zone. He has similar problems with his secondary stuff, as he has yet to find a second pitch he can trust. He has trouble repeating his delivery, which contributes to his inconsistency. New York moved him to relief last June in Double-A, and he posted a 3.12 ERA in that role, compared to 8.18 as a starter. Opponents batted .306 against him when he came out of the bullpen, however, so he still has a great deal of work to accomplish. Nevertheless, his arm strength is intriguing.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #10 prospect in 2005
  Lindstrom is raw for a 25-year-old because he spent two years on a Mormon mission to Sweden. He returned to play a year at Ricks (Idaho) Junior College with his brother Rob. After a solid 2004 season, he attracted the attention of scouts in the Arizona Fall League, so the Mets protected him on the 40-man roster. Lindstrom has the best arm in the Mets system, with a fastball that sits at 94-96 and touched 100 mph during the season. He carries his velocity deep into his starts, and when he's locked in he can dominate hitters. His slider and curveball are average pitches. For a guy that can put triple digits on the radar gun, Lindstrom is passive too often. His fastball lacks movement and hitters get a good look at it coming out of his hand. He needs to pitch to both sides of the plate, tighten his slider and stay on top of his pitches. His changeup is merely usable. At some point Lindstrom has to turn projection into production, but his arm will buy him time. He'll probably return to high Class A to begin 2005. His long-term role could be in relief.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #18 prospect in 2004
  Lindstrom made the 2003 New York-Penn League all-star team, but he was a 23-year-old in short-season ball. Yet he has the chance to be a third or fourth starter in the majors if he can catch up after putting his career on hold for a two-year Mormon mission. He's extremely raw and has trouble repeating his delivery, but he made strides last year. Lindstrom had a very herky-jerky motion when he signed, but he has managed to tame it somewhat. He has a 92-94 mph fastball that touches 96. His slider, which reaches the high 80s and has good bite, shows flashes of becoming a plus pitch. His curveball needs more differentiation from his slider, and he needs to learn to trust his changeup more. He also must continue to improve his mechanics and command. Considering his advanced age, the Mets would like him to have a strong spring training so he could jump to high Class A.