Matt Whatley Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Matthew Whatley
Born 01/07/1996 in Claremore, OK
Profile Ht.: 5'8" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Oral Roberts
Drafted in the 3rd round (104th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2017 (signed for $517,100).

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A second-team Freshman All-American who led Oral Roberts in hitting as a freshman and home runs as a sophomore, Whatley's junior year has not matched his previous offensive production, mainly because he's gotten a little long in his swing at times. He's shown his normal power and hasn't struck out too much (he had more walks than strikeouts), but he still should be a solid third-to-fourth round pick as an above-average defensive catcher with a long track record of offensive production. Whatley is a 55 defender with a 55 arm on the 20-to-80 scouting scale; he was throwing out 45 percent of basestealers in his three years at ORU. He's a good athlete behind the plate and has the makeup and leadership scouts look for in a catcher, something Oral Roberts specializes in, as Whatley will likely become the 11th Golden Eagle catcher to be drafted since 2000.

Top Rankings

The Rangers already had one superlative defensive catcher in the system with Jose Trevino, their sixth-round pick in 2014. Three years later, the Rangers drafted Whatley, who won the Johnny Bench award as college baseball's top catcher, out of Oral Roberts in the third round and signed him for $517,100. Whatley is a potential plus defender and one of the most polished defensive catchers in the 2017 draft. He's an advanced receiver with soft hands, with an above-average arm and quick feet that help him get rid of the ball quickly to control the running game. He earns praise for his game calling, leadership skills and high-energy style that should endear him to managers. Whatley's looked better than expected in the short-season Northwest League, where he put together consistent quality at-bats with a mature approach. He worked counts and gained a better understanding of how to control the timing of the pre-pitch movement in his swing to make frequent contact and drive the ball with fringe-average power. Whatley's defense could carry him to a backup role, but has more offensive upside than Trevino and could develop into starter.

A second-team Freshman All-American who led Oral Roberts in hitting as a freshman and home runs as a sophomore, Whatley's junior year has not matched his previous offensive production, mainly because he's gotten a little long in his swing at times. He's shown his normal power and hasn't struck out too much (he had more walks than strikeouts), but he still should be a solid third-to-fourth round pick as an above-average defensive catcher with a long track record of offensive production. Whatley is a 55 defender with a 55 arm on the 20-to-80 scouting scale; he was throwing out 45 percent of basestealers in his three years at ORU. He's a good athlete behind the plate and has the makeup and leadership scouts look for in a catcher, something Oral Roberts specializes in, as Whatley will likely become the 11th Golden Eagle catcher to be drafted since 2000.

After a solid career as a three-year starting catcher at Oral Roberts, Whatley came off the board in the third round in June, signing with the Rangers and going to Spokane after a quick appearance in the Rookie-level Arizona League. Whatley batted .289/.371/.450 in the NWL and consistently put together some of the most advanced at-bats on the team. The righthanded hitter has a disciplined approach and some thump in his bat, with the chance to be a double-digit home run hitter. Whatley has the kind of workmanlike mindset and leadership skills coaches look for in catchers and is an above-average defender behind the plate, though there are still areas where he needs to fine-tune his game. He has quick feet for a catcher, an above-average arm and good hands, but he can improve his receiving and framing skills. Still, Whatley has a strong defensive foundation and has the chance to be a productive hitter, giving him a high floor as a catching prospect.