Brice Matthews Swinging A Hot Bat
6 months agoHouston Astros shortstop prospect Brice Matthews was the club's first-round pick last year. Houston selected him out of Nebraska and he has wasted no time making an impact, already climbing to No. 3 on MLB Pipeline's ranking of top Astros prospects. The 22-year-old has impressive bat speed, showcasing an ability to hit the ball hard and far. He pulls the ball consistently and has shown a willingness to adapt in the minors, bringing his strikeout rate from 26.3 percent in 2023 to 24 percent in 2024. Defensively, he's a rangy infielder with pure athleticism, but the jury is still out on his ability to play shortstop long-term given some concerns about his throwing accuracy. Last week, Matthews put on a show at the plate. Over the course of six games, he ultimately went 12-for-26 with four homers, seven RBI, four walks, and eight strikeouts. He continued to demonstrate his pure speed, swiping five bags on five attempts. His best game came on June 5 as he went 4-for-4 with two homers and two walks. As long as Matthews continues to swing a hot bat, the buzz about his future will grow louder.
Source: FanGraphs
Source: FanGraphs