We continue our top 100 countdown with Stanford pitcher Will Matthiessen at 76.
Coming out of high school Will was ranked as the best third baseman in the state of Oregon and the fifth best recruit in the state.
The summer after his senior year in high school he played in the West Coast League where he had a .247 average in 77 at-bats with 11 runs scored, 1 home run, 17 RBI, 12 walks and 16 strikeouts as a hitter. He also pitched 6 innings and recorded a save and 2 strikeouts, but posted an ERA of 7.50 on 8 hits and 1 walk.
As a freshman at Stanford he was strictly used as a relief pitcher. Will made 20 appearances out of the bullpen posting a solid 2.33 ERA in 38.2 innings pitched with 32 strikeouts and 3 saves. He allowed just 31 hits and 9 walks.
In his only plate appearance as a freshman he earned a walk.
This past summer he played in the Coastal Plain League. As a hitter he batted .260 in 96 at-bats with 14 runs scored, 7 doubles, 2 home runs, 18 RBI, 17 walks and 20 strikeouts.
On the mound he had a 3.00 ERA in 7 games and 9 innings pitched, while striking out 17 batters and recording 3 saves. He allowed 6 hits and issued just 1 walk.
That strikeout rate is certainly something to marvel at as he hasn’t been much of a strikeout pitcher up to this point. But one thing that is consistent is his low walk rate, which as a closer is great.
Baseball America tabbed him as one of the best prospects in the Coastal Plain League.
At 6-foot-5, 205 pounds the right-handed pitcher has a good frame to be a dominant pitcher with a lot of downhill movement. You hope that he increases the velocity on his fastball as he gets stronger as it currently sits in the upper 80’s.
If that happens then I think Matthiessen has the chance to be a dominant closer.
We’ll see if Stanford allows him to hit more this year as he’s an average hitter as well with some pop, but his future is definitely as a relief pitcher.
