Matt Garza Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1710
ERA	4.089
WHIP	1.323
BB/9	3.058
SO/9	7.263

Full name Matthew Scott Garza
Born 11/26/1983 in Selma, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Fresno State
Debut 08/11/2006
Drafted in the 1st round (25th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2005 (signed for $1,350,000).

View Draft Report

After surviving a rocky 1-6, 9.55 freshman season and leading Fresno State in wins and saves in a swing role last year, Garza went into this season as the team's ace. He struggled in the early going when a young offense didn't score for him and he had trouble getting hitters out because of inconsistent command. But he pitched and competed much better down the stretch, and his draft stock surged the better he pitched. Some teams even were considering the 6-foot-4 righthander as a late first-round or sandwich pick. Garza had only a four-seam fastball and a slow, lazy curveball when he enrolled at Fresno State, but he now has plus stuff with a four-pitch repertoire. His fastball ranges from 90-94 mph and touches 95, and a hard 82-84 mph slider is an effective second pitch. A 72-78 mph curve has the makings of a solid third pitch, while his changeup has been slower to develop. He's projected to be a starter in pro ball but could move into relief if his curve and changeup don't progress or he lacks the stamina to be a starter.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Garza's rise has been even more meteoric than it looks. While he was a prospect in high school at Fresno's Washington Union High, where he also played quarterback, he didn't seriously consider signing when the Rockies drafted him in the 40th round in 2002. His son Matt Jr., born the day of the draft, was a big reason he went to college, and Matt and his girlfriend Serina Ortiz now have a daughter Sierra as well. Garza stayed home to attend Fresno State, a once-proud program in rebuilding mode. He was a part-time starter for his first two seasons, posting a 9.55 ERA as a freshman, before anchoring the Bulldogs rotation as a junior. He went 6-5, 3.07 and ranked second in the Western Athletic Conference with 120 strikeouts in 108 innings. The Twins took Garza 25th overall in 2005 and signed him for $1.35 million, and he paid immediate dividends. He finished his debut by excelling at low Class A Beloit. He was just getting warmed up for 2006, when he was the most dominant pitcher in the minors. Starting the year at high Class A Fort Myers and continuing to deal at Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Rochester, Garza was leading the minors in strikeouts when he was promoted to the big leagues in early August. He pitched 186 innings overall between the majors and minors and tired late, when the Twins left him off their postseason roster in favor of fellow rookie Glen Perkins. Garza has evolved from a two-pitch power arm as a college freshman to a guy with a quality four-pitch repertoire. Yet he's still all about the fastball. While his heater usually sits at 90-94 mph, Garza showed the ability to dial it up to 97-98 at times in 2006, including late in games. It's his out pitch and has enough life that he trusts it in any count. He refined his delivery slightly, and his improved fastball command was another reason he dominated minor leaguers. Garza also throws a curveball, slider and changeup. Both the curve and the slider are above-average pitches at times, and he throws both with power, particularly his low-80s slider. His changeup grades out as solid-average and he spots it well against lefthanders, who hit just two home runs against him all year. He has a smooth delivery that he repeats well, along with plenty of mound presence. With his slender build, Garza appeared to wear down while facing his first full pro season and facing big league hitters. When he tired, his command suffered. Righthanders teed off on his fastball when he nibbled in the majors, tagging him for a 1.014 OPS, but Garza just needs to trust his stuff more and maintain his strength. His curveball and slider can get more consistent. No one expected Garza to be this good this fast, not even the Twins. While his late-season fade means he probably has to earn a spot in the 2007 rotation, Francisco Liriano's injury and Brad Radke's retirement make Garza's inclusion a near certainty. Garza's ceiling is all that's in question, and calling him a No. 2 starter behind Johan Santana almost seems conservative.
Garza has come a long way from the scared kid who went 1-6, 9.55 as a Fresno State freshman in 2003. Afterward, he had eye surgery to correct cloudy vision in his right eye. Over the next two seasons, he went a combined 12-8, 3.99, pitching himself into the first round of the 2005 draft. He signed for $1.35 million as the 25th overall pick. Garza showed a full mix of pitches in his debut, including a 90-94 mph fastball that touches 96, a hard slider at 82-84 mph, a 72-78 mph curveball and a changeup that needs work but shows potential. A hard worker with outstanding makeup, he's a serious pro, a young husband and father who wants to make an impact. His main weakness is a reluctance at times to trust his stuff. Garza will drop down on occasion in an attempt to bury his slider instead of repeating his delivery. The Twins hope he'll be more willing to pitch to contact as he gains experience. Garza needed just four starts in the Rookie-level Appalachian League before moving up to the low Class A Midwest League, where he figures to start out this season. He may not stay there long, as he ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the Mid in 2005.

Minor League Top Prospects

Garza seemed likely to skip over the IL this season after getting his foot in the Metrodome door in 2006. But he fell behind other pitchers in spring training when he had neck soreness, and when his season did start he was hindered by frigid April weather. He didn't help himself by complaining to the press in May about the Twins' handling of him. Through it all, Garza's game was unaffected. He mowed down IL batters with pure, power stuff, headlined by a 90-96 mph fastball with late movement that he commands to both sides of the plate. His hard-breaking slider gives him a second weapon, and like his fastball, the pitch has shape, finish and explosion at the plate. Garza will occasionally throw a curve and a changeup to keep batters honest. The 23-year-old Garza wasn't shy about letting his emotions show on the mound. Some thought this worked in his favor, while others saw it as a detriment. At times he was too reliant on his slider instead of attacking with his heater. Command of his offspeed stuff will determine whether Garza achieves true ace status or settles in as a No. 2 or 3 starter.
Garza didn't draw much fanfare despite being a first-round pick in 2005, but he did by rocketing to the majors in his first full season. He began the year in high Class A, fanned a career-high 13 in his first Double-A start and was in the Twins rotation by August. At 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds he has a prototypical pitcher's frame, along with a smooth, repeatable delivery and above-average command of four pitches. His fastball sits near 93 mph and he can dial it up to 97. His slider has hard tilt at 82-84. He also throws a slower, get-me-over curveball and a changeup with sink and fade. Garza complements his stuff with moxie, as he has good presence and a dogged demeanor on the mound. At times he struggles to run his pitches inside to righthanders, but it's not a major concern.
Though Garza threw a combined 184 innings between Fresno State and his pro debut, he maintained the arm strength that got him drafted 24th overall in June. His fastball still sat at 91-93 mph and touched 95 at the end of the summer. He has some deception to his delivery, so the pitch gets on hitters quickly, and it also has sink. Garza's slider has a chance to give him a second plus pitch, and he also throws a curveball. He'll need to improve his changeup and use it more to remain a starter. If not, his fastball/slider combination already is good enough for him to project as a late-inning reliever.