Pearly Gates is...Quick ReferenceRecent postsLinksRichard's other blog:Hall Of Fame:
The "Real" Media:
Halosphere:
Minor League Affiliates:
Other Baseball Blogs:
Other Random Crap (in a good way):
Soccer:Archive
Blog*Spot ArchivesContactRichard Ceccarelli Josh Mandir |
Friday, July 15, 2005Scouting Report: Jeff MathisHey, remember these? I swear, I'm going to get this project finished by the end of the year. Next step is paring down the list significantly, as I'm afraid I bit off more than I can chew. Bio: Stats (complete):Name: Jeffery Stephen Mathis Birthday: March 31, 1983 (22 on Opening Day 2005) Height: 6'-0" Weight: 180 Bats: Right Throws: Right Position: C Acquired: Draft Drafted: 2001, 1st round (33), ANA Roster: 40-man Contract: n/a Hitting:YEAR(L) G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS ----------|---|---|--|---|--|--|--|---|--|---|--|--|----|----|----|-- 2002(A) 128 491 75 141 41 3 10 73 40 75 7 4 .287 .346 .444 790 2003(A) 98 378 74 122 28 3 11 54 35 74 5 3 .323 .384 .500 884 || (AA) 24 95 19 27 11 0 2 14 12 16 1 2 .284 .364 .463 827 2004(AA) 116 426 55 95 24 3 14 55 49 100 2 1 .223 .308 .392 700 2005(AAA) 70 264 51 75 19 2 12 45 28 58 2 2 .284 .353 .508 862 Terrific power for the position. Has begun refining double/gap power into homerun power in 2005 (on pace to hit 20+ HR for the first time). This has largely erased his 2004 season, when he was clearly over his head at AA. He showed a disturbing tendency to enter prolonged slumps in 2004, which did hurt his prospect status. But it looks like his struggles were simply a product of his youth - so no worries going forward.Defense/Baserunning: Some say Mathis is gold glove caliber. I wouldn't go that far - he's not on the level of the Molinas (but who is?). He was widely lauded for his work with the Travs' pitching staff in 2004, despite his struggles at the plate. Strong arm, solid footwork - he's not someone who's going to be picked-on on the base paths.Outlook: I must admit, I was one of the misguided souls who wrote off Mathis after his disappointing 2004 campaign. It was shortsighted of me, failing to take into account his youth. At 21 he was one of the youngest players at the level, and while that doesn't write-off the entire season, it does temper the doomsday predictions. He's bounced back magnificently at Salt Lake this season, having easily his best power season. And he's still young for his level, especially for a catcher. I couldn't be more impressed by his performance this season. He's back on my top-five prospects list. See the complete list of scouting reports here. Comments:thanks for the info on mathis. i'm eager to see him when he's ready...you mentioned in your report the home runs. i wonder, do you know how many of them were at salt lake and how many were at parks closer to sea level? it' s my hope that the power is legitimate. we could use more at the major league level... thanks for your work matt Oh, and I'm really starting to warm up to Michael Collins. I hope the Angels can re-sign him, as he's a minor league free agent after next year. Matt- Interesting point. Unfortunately I had no luck finding home/road splits. Here's a list of PCL park factors. You're right of course - Franklin Covey Field is a very good park for hitters. But then again, the league is full of those kinds of parks. But it's also not much of a difference over the leagues and stadiums Mathis has played in at lower levels. So my guess would be that while the park and league are playing a part in the improved power, it's not nearly enough to write off the improvement as artificial. He’s just starting to turn those doubles into homeruns. |
