Minor League observations: Brian Matusz

By Jim

One of the great things about where I live is that I am 30 minutes from 2 major league teams and 10 minutes from the minor league Bowie Baysox. With Brian Matusz making his debut for Bowie tonight Derrick and I decided to catch the game.

I picked up Matusz in our league’s minor league draft because I had been somewhat familiar with his work in college but tonight was the first time I got to see him live in action.I knew Matusz was a big strikeout guy as he had recorded 75 strikeouts compared to 21 walks in 66 2/3 innings this year with Class A Advanced Frederick. At 21-years-old, the 6’5″ left hander proved ready for his promotion as he struck out 10 Reading Phillies in 6 innings, giving up only 1 unearned run, 3 hits and 1 walk in picking up the win.

Matusz opened the game by sitting the Phillies down in order, getting two ground outs the first base side along with striking out the second batter he faced.

Matusz ran into trouble in the second inning as he opened the inning by walking Kevin Mahar, giving up a single to Neil Sellers and advancing Mahar and Sellers on a passed ball before Jeremy Slayden singled in Mahar to put Reading up 1-0. Matusz quickly bounced back though as he got the next 3 batters out to limit the damage to only 1 run.

Matusz followed that up by retiring the next 10 batters he faced, 8 via strike out. According to the ballpark radar gun, Matusz never hit higher than 92 mph but the thing that was most impressive was his command of his off speed stuff. He repeatedly used his off speed pitches as his out pitches and Reading repeatedly swung at what he offered, even if it was in the dirt.

Obviously this is only his first start since moving up a level but if this is any indication of what last year’s first round pick for the Orioles is capable of, things are looking good. Often times it is hard to project how minor league pitchers will transition to the majors, and that transition may still be a couple of years away for Matusz, who Baseball America ranked as the Orioles’ No. 3 prospect, but if you are able to put him on a minor league roster for a low cost, this is the type of prospect you want to hold on to.