College Baseball Daily continues our countdown to the start of the 2013 college baseball season by checking in on the Top 100 Players in the country. We will be adding players day-by-day until we get to number one!
Number 46 on our Top 100 Countdown is Oregon State’s Matt Boyd. The 6’3 left-handed pitcher from Mercer Island, Washington was a 13th-round draft pick in 2012 by Cincinnati.
As a freshman in 2010, Boyd made 20 appearances on the mound and 29 games in the field. He posted a batting average of .264 with 19 RBI and went 7-1 on the mound with an ERA of 1.90, holding opponents to a batting average of just .200. His success earned him a variety of awards including being named honorable mention All-Pac 10, Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American and NCBWA First Team Freshman All-American.
In his sophomore season, Boyd spent nearly his entire time on the mound, making 30 appearances for four saves. In his 46 innings pitched, Boyd struck out 35 and walked 11. Following the 2011 season, Boyd played on the Team USA Collegiate National Team where he went 1-0 in five games for an ERA of 1.42. He also spent the remainder of the summer pitching for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod League where he posted an ERA of 1.71 in eight appearances.
Boyd had yet another successful season for the Beavers in 2012 where he appeared as a reliever in 31 games, posting a record of 4-0 with three saves. In his 37 innings pitched, Boyd struck out 31 while holding opponents to a batting average of .237. Following the 2012 season, Boyd was drafted in the 13th-round by the Reds, which he declined to return to Oregon State for his senior year. He spent his summer pitching with Orleans again where he went 2-1 with an ERA of 4.33, striking out 39 compared to walking just seven batters in 27 innings. Boyd also appeared in the Cape Cod All Star Game where he threw a scoreless inning.
During the 2013 season, there’s a possibility that Boyd could make appearances both in starting and relief roles for the Beavers. His repertoire is solid, highlighted by a fastball that touches 94 in addition to an excellent slider. Boyd’s decision to return for his senior season gives Oregon State fans and college baseball fans alike the opportunity to see him on the mound for another season, where he is one of the top players to watch for in 2013.
You can check out the rest of our Top 100 by clicking here.
