Arizona Diamondbacks Release Former Top Prospect Brian Matusz
After adding former top prospect Brian Matusz on a minor-league deal this winter, the Arizona Diamondbacks have released the lefty.
The Arizona Diamondbacks released former minor leaguer Brian Matusz, per Matt Eddy of Baseball America. The former top prospect joined the team back in February on a minor league deal. Both sides had hoped that a few adjustments could return the 30-year-old to his former glory.
Instead, the lefty has fumbled thus far with the team’s Triple-A affiliate. Through 17.2 frames, the reliever failed to consistently obtain positive outcomes. Opposing batters hit .333 against him on their way to scoring over six runs per nine innings.
Despite previously posting high strikeout totals in both the major and minor leagues, Matusz lacked this trait this year. Barring 2016, his 15.7% strikeout rate was his lowest since 2011. Combining this decreased strikeout rate with an increased inability to prevent both base runners and runs gave Matusz’ future a gloomy outlook and lead to his release.
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As I mentioned when the Arizona Diamondbacks first signed Matusz to a minor deal, the lefty was once an excellent bullpen weapon. From 2013 to 2015, he kept batters on their toes, holding them to just a .190 batting average and .320 slugging percentage. The lefty also amassed strikeouts at an impressive rate without allowing too many free passes.
2016, however, was a completely different story. The former top prospect imploded and only appeared in nine major-league innings, split between the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago Cubs. Over that time, he allowed 14 runs and 17 hits.
Still, his former lofty projections and former glory lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to make the reliever an offer. Had he returned to his prior status, he could have become a valuable asset to the D’Backs. Although the team’s bullpen has pitched well so far, having another quality lefty lying around is always a good thing.
Where Matusz will go from here remains to be seen. It is entirely possible that another team gives him a shot in the minors, especially considering the low-risk nature of an addition. While Matusz will probably not return to being a quality relief pitcher, he still has the potential to do so. Should a team manage to work through his issues with him, he could prove to be a solid depth option later on in the season.
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One positive note from his brief minor-league foray with the Arizona Diamondbacks is that Matusz managed to not walk too many batters. This had posed a serious problem during his down year in 2016, and the improvement could be a sign of better things to come. Still, the decreased strikeouts and general inability to prevent hits remain large burdens to success.