Matt Joyce Stats & Scouting Report

AB	3718
AVG	.242
OBP	.342
SLG	.425
HR	149

Full name Matthew Ryan Joyce
Born 08/03/1984 in Tampa, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 194 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Florida Southern
Debut 05/05/2008
Drafted in the 12th round (360th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2005.

View Draft Report

Matt Joyce has a chance to go in the first 10 rounds if he shows power in workouts with clubs because he's athletic and has a solid arm. His bat has let him down this season, however, with a sub-.300 average and just three home runs.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Joyce helped West Michigan win the Midwest League title in 2006, then skipped a level and helped Erie make the Eastern League playoffs. He was pulling off the ball early in the season and batted .193 during the first two months. But then he settled back into his overachieving ways, started allowing the ball to travel deeper into the zone and batted .293 with 13 homers over the final three months. Joyce has a smooth left-handed stroke and a knack for driving in runs. He generally hits gap-to-gap but possesses some home run power and has the potential to top last year's career high of 17. A well-above-average right fielder, he gets great jumps and has a strong, accurate arm. He can play an adequate center field if needed. Like many of the Tigers' top position prospects, Joyce needs to cut down his strikeouts. He chases low changeups from righthanders. He doesn't use his average speed as well on the bases as he does in the outfield. Joyce has moved swiftly since signing in 2005, and he'll move up to Triple-A this season. If all goes well, he'll challenge for a big league job in 2009.
Joyce isn't an attention-grabber, but he gets the most out of his average tools. He was the leading run producer on the Midwest League champion West Michigan club. The Tigers first noticed him when he homered against them in a scrimmage while with Florida Southern, which is based right down the street from the club's Lakeland spring-training base. Joyce has a good approach at the plate, with quiet swing mechanics and good plate discipline. He controls the strike zone and uses the entire field, and he has more power than his 2006 numbers indicate. Like most of the Whitecaps, he was hurt by pitcher-friendly Fifth Third Ballpark, where he hit just .238 with four homers. He can get pull-conscious at times. Joyce has average speed, a strong arm and good range for a right fielder. He and Brennan Boesch are the only lefthanded-hitting corner outfielders of note in the organization. Joyce will advance to high Class A this year.
The Tigers first noticed Joyce when they played against his Florida Southern team, which is based down the street from Detroit's Lakeland spring-training complex. In a scrimmage before spring-training exhibitions began in 2004, Joyce homered against the Tigers. He went on to have a strong sophomore season but struggled as a junior as the Moccasins won the Division II College World Series. Joyce recoved to have a fine pro debut, showing athleticism, a solid bat and good plate discipline. He's still young for his draft class and has room to fill out physically. Joyce has average tools across the board to go with a quiet approach that lets him make consistent contact while using the whole field. His arm might be a tick above average. He also has excellent makeup and a strong work ethic. Joyce has a thin frame that could stand to add muscle, and he'll need more power to play right field, his best position, at higher levels. He'll start his first full year in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Joyce carved out a big league role with the Tigers with a huge month of July, batting .321/.384/.654 in 24 games. In the process, he separated himself from a pack of power-hitting Mud Hens that included first baseman Jeff Larish, second baseman Michael Hollimon and center fielder Clete Thomas. Joyce has a smooth lefthanded stroke and the power to hit 20-25 homers annually. He takes an aggressive hack, and while he can be prone to strikeouts, he's a good situational hitter. He hasn't handled southpaws well in his career, and the Tigers often platooned him in the big leagues. An average runner and a well above-average defender in right field, Joyce tracks balls well and has enough range to fill in in center. He has a strong, accurate arm.