Matt Adams

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #7 prospect in 2013
  Like Trevor Rosenthal, Adams has become an emblem of the Cardinals' ongoing success in later rounds of the draft. He signed for $25,000 as a 23rd-round pick in 2009 after leading NCAA Division II in hitting (.495). He has continued to rake, hitting 74 homers in the last three years, including two for St. Louis last summer. Adams has a muscular, stout frame, but his light-tower power doesn't come from his physique alone. He has a compact, spring-loaded swing that means he doesn't need a loop or uppercut to generate distance. A coach called his stroke foolproof, one that should allow him to hit for power and average. He's an adequate defender at first base, but his well below-average speed makes playing left field a stretch. Adams missed the final month of the season to have bone chips removed from his right elbow, a condition that had bothered him for more than a year. He should be healthy for spring training. Though he has nothing left to prove in the minors, he's blocked by Allen Craig and has no apparent path to a starting job with the Cardinals.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #9 prospect in 2012
  Adams starred at Slippery Rock (Pa.), leading NCAA Division II in hitting (.495) in 2009 while setting school records for single-season and career (.454) batting average. Signed for $25,000 as a 23rd-round pick, he moved from catcher to first base and hasn't stopped hitting. He won the Texas League MVP award in 2011, setting a Springfield record with 32 homers and leading the Double-A circuit with 101 RBIs and a .566 slugging percentage. Adams has a hulking frame but doesn't rely solely on muscle to catapult his moonshot homers. He has a compact swing that doesn't need an uppercut or loop to create distance. A coach called the stroke fool-proof because it gives him the ability to punish more than mistakes. One scout likened him to Freddie Freeman with more power and less defense. Though he's big and has below-average speed and quickness, Adams has improved defensively and shows soft hands and an accurate arm. There's a starting spot waiting for Adams in Triple-A, and his long-term future brightened when Albert Pujols signed with the Angels. Adams won't have to move to the outfield to battle for a big league job in 2013.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #19 prospect in 2012
  Adams batted .454 at NCAA Division II Slippery Rock (Pa.) and .316 in his first three minor league seasons, and he continued to pound pitchers in the PCL. He wasn't as potent during the month he spent in St. Louis, but showed flashes of his offensive upside. After he returned to Memphis, his season ended a month early when he had bone spurs from his right elbow. Adams is a big man with tremendous strength and relatively short arms than enable him to maintain a compact swing and hit for high averages with plus power. His bat will have to carry him, because he's a well below-average runner limited to first base. He's an adequate defender with a bat that easily profiles for the position.
• 
  Ranked Texas League #19 prospect in 2011
  While Adams had been productive since signing as a 23rd-round pick out of NCAA Division II Slippery Rock (Pa.), but the Cardinals still weren't sure exactly what they had, so they jumped him past high Class A to Springfield. He responded with the best season of his career, leading the TL in both slugging percentage (.566) and RBIs (101) and winning the league's player of the year award. Those numbers came even though he missed three weeks in June with a left oblique strain. Adams actually got off to a slow start as he chased pitches around the zone, going after stuff he couldn't do anything with. As he became more selective and focused on pitches he could drive, he went on a tear. He should be able to hit for average, but power is clearly his most impressive tool, rating near 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He has a strong, short swing and is limited only because he doesn't have a lot of loft. His line-drive stroke allows him to drive the ball to all fields, though. He gets himself into trouble when he focuses on pulling the ball. Though he's a big guy who is limited to first base, Adams he should be a good defender there. He's nimble around the bag and has soft hands and and an accurate arm. He's a below-average runner.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Like Trevor Rosenthal, Adams has become an emblem of the Cardinals' ongoing success in later rounds of the draft. He signed for $25,000 as 23rd-round pick in 2009 after leading NCAA Division II in hitting (.495). He has continued to rake, batting .318/.365/.565 in four minor league seasons and hitting 74 homers in the last three years, including two for St. Louis last summer. Scouting Report: Adams has a muscular, stout frame, but his light-tower power doesn't come from his physique alone. He has a compact, spring-loaded swing that means he doesn't need a loop or uppercut to generate distance. A coach called his stroke foolproof, one that should allow him to hit for power and average. He has drawn offensive comparisons to Freddie Freeman, though Adams isn't as agile a fielder. He's an adequate defender at first base, but his well below-average speed makes playing left field a stretch. The Future: Adams missed the final month of the season to have bone chips removed from his right elbow, a condition that had bothered him for more than a year. He should be healthy for spring training. Though he has nothing left to prove in the minors, he's blocked by Allen Craig and has no apparent path to a starting job with the Cardinals.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Adams starred at Slippery Rock (Pa.), leading NCAA Division II in hitting (.495) in 2009 while setting school records for single-season and career (.454) batting average. Signed for $25,000 as a 23rd-round pick, he moved from catcher to first base and hasn't stopped hitting. He won the Texas League MVP award in 2011, setting a Springfield record with 32 homers and leading the Double-A circuit with 101 RBIs and a .566 slugging percentage. Scouting Report: Adams has a hulking frame but doesn't rely solely on muscle to catapult his moonshot homers. He has a compact swing that doesn't need an uppercut or loop to create distance. A coach called the stroke foolproof because it gives him the ability to punish more than mistakes. One scout likened him to Freddie Freeman with more power and less defense. Though he's big and has below-average speed and quickness, Adams has improved defensively and shows soft hands and an accurate arm. The Future: There's a starting spot waiting for Adams in Triple-A, though his long-term role will be influenced by what happens in St. Louis. If the Cardinals can re-sign Albert Pujols, Adams will have to move to the outfield--which might be a stretch--or move in a trade to have value. He has powered his way into becoming an asset either way.