Track Record: Mathews was a 19th-round draft pick by the Rays in 2022, but didn’t sign and returned to Stanford for his senior year. That was a smart move. He had his best college season, won Pac-12 pitcher of the year and led Stanford to the College World Series. Mathews had a viral moment when he threw a 156-pitch complete game against Texas in super regionals. The Cardinals selected Mathews in the fourth round and signed him to a $600,000 bonus.
Scouting Report: Mathews is a polished strike thrower with a four-pitch mix and average stuff. His fastball sits 90-92 mph and touches 94 mph with above-average ride. His best pitch is an above-average changeup that generates swings and misses. Mathews has a low-80s slider with moderate sweep and a mid-70s curveball that’s hardly used. His command took a jump to above-average in 2023 after often nibbling around the zone too much as an underclassman. Mathews has a high level of pitchability and touch for execution and throws lots of strikes while consistently working deep into games.
The Future: Mathews is a low-risk, back-end starter and innings-eater who could take a jump with a few added ticks of velocity.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 45 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55
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