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Overview
School: University of Virginia
Position: Catcher
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 198 lbs.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Matt Thaiss 2016 MLB Draft Profile
Matt Thaiss among the top catching prospects entering the 2016 draft, perhaps behind only the University of Miami’s Zack Collins. Thaiss was first given a shot at Major League Baseball in 2013, when he was drafted out of Jackson Memorial High School in New Jersey by the Boston Red Sox in the 32nd round. Though far from fully developed at the time, Thaiss’ potential stood out even then.
Over his high school career, Thaiss hit .343 with seventeen home runs and seventy RBI. He was given First-Time All-Conference honors twice, All-County honors three times, and First-Team All-State honors twice. He was also named to the High Honor Roll all four years, highlighting his dedication and intelligence.
The accolades didn’t dry up when he got to Virginia. In his sophomore year, he was named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy (the award for the national player of the year), and received Third-Team All-America honors by Louisville Slugger and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
To date, he owns a .331 batting average in his college career, with seventeen home runs and 115 RBI. More impressively, he’s struck out just forty-seven times in 505 at-bats. On the defensive side of the ball, he owns a .985 fielding percentage, and has caught 38% if the runners that have tried to steal on him. He’s a well-rounded catcher that could help any team’s farm depth, and is potentially a Major League starter down the road.
Strengths:
- Solid defense
- Untapped raw power is potentially above average
- Well-developed approach results in low strikeout rate
- Intelligent
Weaknesses:
- Needs to add weight, but doing so may hurt his swing
- Still needs to develop his power tool more, but may not be able to without adding weight
MLB Comparison: Brian McCann, C, New York Yankees
Projected Pick Range: 48-54 overall
Most Likely Landing Spots: Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles
Bottom Line
He’s an above-average defender with a mature approach at the plate. With a little more power, he could be a rare offensive threat at the catcher’s position. That power may not come, but he’s a sold hitter nonetheless. Thaiss will be a solid second round pick, and could sneak into the late-first round. The Red Sox need to rebuild their catching depth now that Christian Vazquez is locked into a Major League role, and with Blake Swihart possibly moving to the outfield (or another organization). It wouldn’t be shocking to see them take another shot at Thaiss.
Sources: VirginiaSports.com, Perfect Game, Scouting Baseball, Baseball Draft Report
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