Drafted in the 28th round (838th overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2008.
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A $1,000 senior sign in 2008, Mattison forced his way onto the Marlins 40-man roster with a dynamic showing in the Arizona Fall League in 2011. Last spring, he reverted to the same habits that had perplexed club officials throughout his career. A legitimate 80 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale, Mattison has game-changing speed but doesn't use it to his advantage. He has just enough power to get himself in trouble. He tries to reach the fences and logs too many flyouts. He's fast enough to beat out most grounders to the left side, but he won't go the other way with any regularity, even on outside pitches. He's also reluctant to bunt and lacks the discipline to work walks. His swing gets long and he misses far too many pitches. Mattison still runs the bases on pure speed and must refine his basestealing technique and get better jumps. He's a plus defender who covers the gaps in center field, though his jumps and reads could improve. His arm is average. Mattison's speed and glove alone should earn him a big league job, but unless he overhauls his offensive approach he'll be limited to pinch-running and providing late-inning defense. The Marlins designated him for assignment in late January, making room on the 40-man roster for righthander Sam Dyson.
Mattison has gone from a $1,000 senior sign in 2008 to a place on Miami's 40-man roster after the 2011 season. The fastest man in the organization, he has averaged 43 stolen bases in his three full pro seasons. He hasn't been as dangerous at the plate, though he put everything together in the first two months of 2011, batting .338/.424/.512. Afterward, however, he hit just .209/.307/.334. He found the spark again in the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .349, ranked among the league leaders in several categories and won the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award. Mattison is at his best when he keeps the ball on the ground and wreaks havoc with his plus-plus speed. To combat his habit of hitting the ball in the air, the Marlins moved him to a heavier bat last spring and drilled into him the virtue of taking a direct path to the top of the ball. They also encouraged him to bunt more frequently. He got in trouble when he reverted to a long, loopy swing that results in too many routine flyouts. Mattison isn't a proficient basestealer yet, making up for poor jumps and instincts with pure speed. He shows plus range in center field as well as an average arm. Mattison hustles constantly and profiles as a fourth outfielder who can fulfill a variety of roles off the bench. He'll get his first taste of Triple-A and possibly the majors in 2012.
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Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Miami Marlins in 2013
Rated Best Defensive Outfielder in the Miami Marlins in 2012
Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Miami Marlins in 2012
Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Southern League in 2011
Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Miami Marlins in 2011
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