From a talent perspective, Duke starting pitcher and right-hander Michael Matuella was one of the most intriguing players in the 2015 MLB draft. But injuries caused him to fall down the board before the Texas Rangers selected him in the third round.
The MLB Draft on Twitter announced the news Tuesday:
Matuella responded with an excited tweet of his own:
MLB Network Radio on Twitter offered the following scouting report on the Duke pitcher:
Matuella went 1-3 with a 2.78 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 58.1 innings during his sophomore season and posted a sparkling 1.08 ERA through six starts as a junior before he needed Tommy John surgery. He's also dealt with a lat strain and back issues in his past, per Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter.
Hudson Belinsky of Baseball America has more on the injury front:
As Ben Badler of Baseball America noted, the Rangers are certainly taking a chance with this pick, even in the third round:
Indeed, the fact that he is recovering from Tommy John surgery is a major concern for the Rangers. But given his elite talent, when healthy, the Rangers may run into another issue, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation:
Despite being selected in the third round, it's unlikely Matuella will want to be paid third-round money given his elite talent. Matuella always has the option of returning to Duke for his senior season, a feather in his negotiating cap.
On the other hand, the Rangers are unlikely to break the bank for a pitcher who has an injury history like Matuella does. It could become a very interesting negotiation between the two parties.
Still, expect the sides to get something done. The Rangers have to be thrilled to add a 6'7" starting pitcher in the third round who can hit the upper 90s with his fastball and also has a slider, curve and changeup. The Rangers really went hard on college pitchers early in this draft, also selecting Dillon Tate in the first round and Jake Lemoine in the fourth.
It seems the Rangers are interested in quickly rebuilding their pitching staff with experienced options. If Matuella can stay healthy, he'll not only be an instrumental figure in that effort, but he could also end up being the jewel of this draft class.
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