#2 - LHP Quinn Mathews
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Command: 50 | Overall: 55
Background:
Mathews entered pro ball as one of the most seasoned arms in his class, having logged 224 innings over his final two collegiate seasons at Stanford. He was a true workhorse, leading the nation with 124 2/3 innings pitched in 2023. While he was viewed as one of the more polished starters in the 2023 draft, his modest velocity kept him out of early-round consideration and ultimately pushed him to the fourth-round. Flash forward to 2024, and that low-90s fastball has ticked up considerably—now sitting comfortably in the mid-90s, transforming his future outlook.
Scouting Report:
Mathews brings a high-energy presence to the mound. His fastball now sits 94–95 mph, featuring 17 inches of induced vertical break and 8 inches of arm-side run from a 5.6-foot release height. The pitch was a consistent bat-misser in 2024, overwhelming hitters at the lower levels due to its hop from a lower release height.
Mathews’ changeup—his best pitch in college—remains his bread-and-butter. Despite a wide velocity gap off the fastball, he maintains deception with arm speed and tunnels it effectively. While tightening that velocity separation slightly could help at the next level, the pitch has performed at every level so far.
His mid-80s gyro-slider also took a step forward in pro ball, both in velocity and usage. It was used mostly against lefties early in the season but became a trusted weapon to righties as the year went on. He locates it considerably well to his glove side and has shown the ability to land it for both chases and strikes.
His curveball is the least impactful of the group but serves as a reliable strike stealer when used effectively.
Mathews shows decent command of all four pitches and has a strong feel for sequencing. The only red flag came late in the year at Triple-A, where his fastball lost a bit of carry and velo with the MLB ball—likely due to fatigue more than anything mechanical, but something to keep an eye on.
Future:
Mathews might not carry the same ceiling as some of the other pitching prospects in the system, but his mix of stuff, command, and durability gives him a very real path to a big-league rotation. With four viable pitches and the ability to attack both sides of the plate, he profiles as a polished mid-rotation starter and could push for his MLB debut sooner rather than later.
