Matt Downs
| AB | 527 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .23 |
| OBP | .296 |
| SLG | .406 |
| HR | 20 |
- Full name Matthew Russell Downs
- Born 03/19/1984 in Tuscaloosa, AL
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Alabama
- Debut 06/16/2009
- Drafted in the 36th round (1,076th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2006.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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San Francisco general manager Brian Sabean compares Downs to a player from his Yankees days, Shane Spencer. "Wherever you put him, he just hits," Sabean said. Downs was a 36th-round selection in 2006 out of Alabama, where he did anything and everything to help his team win--including a four-inning relief appearance in an NCAA regional game. As a hitter, he's the definition of a tough out. He has a short swing that should continue to work at higher levels, and the ball jumps off his bat, both to the gaps and over the fence. Downs drew 38 walks against 67 strikeouts last season, one of the better ratios in a Giants system that doesn't preach patience especially well. He is an above-average runner and has smarts on the basepaths. Downs shows a plus arm at third base and is equally playable at second, first or either corner outfield spot. He saw action at all those positions in 2008, and his bat also gives him the profile of a utilityman. He doesn't have quite the same feel or softness to his game as Ryan Rohlinger, another utility candidate who got big league time last season. But Downs is a better athlete and is a bit stronger. He's expected to start 2009 in Double-A.
