Matt Skole

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Washington Nationals #30 prospect in 2017
  Skole made waves in his first full professional season in in 2012 when he hit 27 home runs. His ensuing campaign was brought to an abrupt halt by a collision in the second game of the season that forced him to have Tommy John surgery and a procedure to repair a microfracture in his wrist. Skole struggled in 2014 in his return to the field, but rebounded to lead all Nationals' minor leaguers in home runs in each of the last two seasons. Skole's best tool is his above-average power and he knows how to work a walk. There is still a lot of swing-and-miss in his game, but he has worked to consistently repeat his swing and has decreased his strikeout rate every year he's been healthy in the minors. Skole began his professional career as a third baseman, but has primarily played first base since his injuries. He is capable of playing either corner, and is an above-average defender at first. Skole was added to the 40-man roster in November, and his lefthanded power and defensive versatility give him a chance to carve out a role on a big league bench. He could fill that spot in Washington as soon as 2017.
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  Ranked Washington Nationals #24 prospect in 2015
  After an injury-wracked 2013 season, Skole struggled with his swing mechanics last year. He has a lot of moving parts in his swing, and the Nationals are still trying to get him to tone down his big leg kick and exaggerated, pre-pitch bat waggle. He has a long uppercut swing, a physical frame and plus raw power to the pull side, but scouts question his ability to catch up to good fastballs, and he chases high heat too often. He takes his share of walks, but he also strikes out a lot, and he projects as a below-average hitter. A third baseman for his first two pro seasons, Skole played mostly first base in 2014, though he was a serviceable fill-in at the hot corner, where he lacks range but has a solid arm. He must unlock his power potential to have a shot at an everyday role. The Nationals could challenge Skole with an assignment to Triple-A Syracuse in 2015, which will be a crucial year for his development.
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  Ranked Washington Nationals #4 prospect in 2014
  Skole won South Atlantic League MVP honors and was named Washington's minor league hitter of the year in 2012. His 2013 season was cut short in his second game when he collided with a runner while playing first base, causing a microfracture in his wrist and severing the ulnar collateral ligament in his non-throwing elbow. He had Tommy John surgery and wrist surgery but returned to action in the Arizona Fall League, where he homered twice in his first four games. Skole's calling card is his plus lefthanded power, primarily to the pull side. He has a flicker with his bat head right before letting loose on the baseball, and he generates serious bat speed. The Nationals helped him get more out of his huge frame by minimizing his leg kick, solidifying his base and improving his balance. He showed an improved ability to stay back and drive breaking pitches the other way in his last healthy season. Skole also has an advanced feel for the strike zone, giving him a chance to be an average or slightly better hitter. He has good hands at either infield corner and a solid arm, but he lacks the range at the hot corner, so he figures to focus on first base going forward. Skole will return to Harrisburg to start 2014, and he could push for a big league callup by season's end. He is the best power prospect in the system and could be the organization's first baseman of the future.
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  Ranked Washington Nationals #4 prospect in 2013
  After hitting 47 homers in three years at Georgia Tech, Skole led the short-season New York-Penn League with 23 doubles and 48 RBIs in his 2011 pro debut. He was even better in 2012, winning low Class A South Atlantic League MVP honors and topping the circuit in homers (27), walks (94), on-base percentage (.438) and slugging (.574). His prospect stock has climbed higher than that of his younger brother Jake, a Rangers first-round pick in 2010. The Nationals have helped Skole get more out of his big, physical frame by minimizing his leg kick, solidifying his base and improving his balance. As he has implemented a more consistent load and better posture, he has hooked fewer balls and started driving back-door breaking pitches to the opposite field. Most of his plus power comes to the pull side. His improving ability to use all fields, good pitch recognition and patient approach suggest he can be an average hitter. Skole will never be a rangy defender at third base, but he has improved his footwork and body control. His hands are sure enough to play at either corner and his arm is solid. Blocked at third by Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon, Skole has more of a future with Washington as a slugging first baseman. He should reach Double-A in 2013.
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  Ranked Washington Nationals #21 prospect in 2012
  Skole is more powerful but less athletic than his younger brother Jake, a Rangers firstround pick in 2010. Matt blasted 37 homers over his first two seasons at Georgia Tech before hitting just 10 with the new BBCOR bats as a junior last spring. Hiis approach matured over the course of his college career, and he drew 99 walks while striking out just 77 times over his last two seasons. He continued to show excellent patience at the plate, a good two-strike approach and impressive hand-eye coordination in his pro debut. Signed for $161,100 as a fifth-round pick, he led the short-season New York-Penn League with 23 doubles and 48 RBIs. Skole should hit for solid power as he learns to use his lower half better in his swing. Most of his home run power is to the pull side, but he also can drive the ball the other way. He batted just .203/.298/.284 against lefthanders at Vermont, so the Nationals had him adopt a two-strike approach throughout at-bats against lefties in instructional league, and he handled them better. Skole has nice hands and a solid-to-plus arm at third base, but he needs to tone his lower half and improve his agility to stick at the hot corner. He could hit enough to be a fringy regular at first base, but his value will be highest at third base. Given his advanced feel for the strike zone, Skole figures to reach high Class A in 2012, perhaps out of camp.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked South Atlantic League #19 prospect in 2012
  The league MVP, Skole led the SAL in homers (27), walks (94), on-base percentage (.438) and slugging (.574) and ranked second in RBis (92) despite being promoted in mid-August. Managers tabbed him as having the best strike-zone judgment in the league after watching him use his disciplined approach to pound pitchers with consistency. "To put up numbers like that at any level is impressive," Daubach said. "He's learned to pull the ball correctly. He's not hooking the ball the way he used to and that's why his home run total went up so much. He's always had a lot of power, and he had a lot of doubles last year in short-season ball." While Skole was old for the league, his strength and bat speed give him legitimate power. Almost all of his value is tied up in his bat, however, as he's a well below-average runner and subpar defender at third base. He does have arm strength, but his lack range limits him to making routine plays at best.
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  Ranked New York-Penn League #13 prospect in 2011
  Skole is more powerful but less athletic than his younger brother Jake, a Rangers first-round pick in 2010. Matt showed excellent patience at the plate, a good two-strike approach and impressive hand-eye coordination in his pro debut. The NY-P leader in doubles (23) and RBIs (48), he should hit for solid-average power once he learns to use his lower half better in his swing. "A lot of guys try to hit home runs before they learn how to hit, but he's done a good job learning to hit first," Auburn manager Gary Cathcart said. "He rifled a few balls off the left-field wall this summer, and several doubles to left-center. He's at his best when he's staying through the middle, going gap-to-gap." Skole is surprisingly agile for his size, with decent lateral range and the ability to make plays charging in or to his backhand. He still has to improve his footwork and make some mechanical tweaks to his throwing, but he has a chance to be an average defensive third baseman with a solid-average to plus arm.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: After hitting 47 homers in three years at Georgia Tech, Skole led the short-season New York-Penn League with 23 doubles and 48 RBIs in his 2011 pro debut. He was even better in 2012, winning low Class A South Atlantic League MVP honors and topping the circuit in homers (27), walks (94), on-base percentage (.438) and slugging (.574). His prospect stock has climbed higher than that of his younger brother Jake, a Rangers first-round pick in 2010. Scouting Report: The Nationals have helped Skole get more out of his big, physical frame by minimizing his leg kick, solidifying his base and improving his balance. As he has implemented a more consistent load and better posture, he has hooked fewer balls and started driving back-door breaking pitches to the opposite field. Most of his plus power comes to the pull side. His improving ability to use all fields, good pitch recognition and patient approach suggest he can be an average hitter. Skole will never be a rangy defender at third base, but he has improved his footwork and body control. His hands are sure enough to play at either corner and his arm is solid. The Future: Blocked at third by Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon, Skole has more of a future with Washington as a slugging first baseman. He should reach Double-A in 2013.