Matt Whitney, SS, Oxnard College

April 23 — Smaller stature; lean, plenty of room to add muscle. A bit undersized for ideal shortstop role in pro ball, but he’ll fit fine there in college; plenty of arm strength … Finally fully healthy in late April 2018; reportedly went through persistent back issues in the past, but looks healthy and athletic now. Opposing coaches raved to me about how good he looks now that he’s healthy and moving right; also receives high marks as an athlete and a competitor. Attended the University of San Diego out of high school, but injuries/lack of playing time pushed him back to Oxnard College; still retained freshman eligibility for the 2018 season with the Condors … Speedy guy, moves very well; 4.16 and 4.21 times up the line from the RHH box; quick first step and glides when he hits top speed; sneaky fast runner even without long legs/long strides. Great athlete … Fundamentally sound at shortstop; circles the ball well, fields consistently, makes good feeds to second on 6-4 tosses. Strong arm with plenty of velo and carry to target across diamond; throws stay true online to first base with consistent accuracy. Takes what’s given to him on defense; will make the smart play; great situational awareness with runners on base, etc … Aggressive hacker at the plate; good strike zone awareness, but definitely not up there to take too many pitches; looking to hack and do damage. Enough barrel control to be a decent contact hitter even with aggressive outlook, though; strong hand-eye coordination and will make for a punchy, gap-to-gap line drive hitter; not a ton of raw power and unlikely to manifest itself as much over-the-fence pop; more of a table-setter here … Overall, Matt Whitney is a solid defensive infield prospect who should soon work his way back up to Division I; with some growth and development, there may be a pro infield future here, too, though I think it’s unlikely he’ll be an MLB Draft guy out of Oxnard College; look for pro path to open up down the road in another year or two.

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