• Full name Matthew Robert O'Neil West
  • Born 11/21/1988 in Houston, TX
  • Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Bellaire
  • Debut 07/10/2014
  • Drafted in the 2nd round (80th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2007 (signed for $405,000).
    View Draft Report
    West was known mostly for his arm strength coming into 2007, but his bat garnered a lot of attention early this spring and at one point seemed destined to make him a supplemental first-rounder. He has cooled off somewhat, particularly when he faced better competition, and now looks like more of a second- or third-rounder. West doesn't have a long track record as a hitter, but he has fared well in wood-bat workouts. He stays inside pitches well, uses the opposite field and has some power potential. He's a solid athlete with good hands, but he'll have to move from shortstop once he leaves high school. He's probably destined for third base because he's already 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds and second base would be a stretch once he fills out. West has committed to both San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College and Arizona State in order to keep his options open, but he's not considered a tough sign.

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