Matt Manning

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #4 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 60. Changeup: 55. Curveball: 60. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former NBA power forward Rich Manning, Matt was committed to St. Mary’s to play both basketball and baseball but instead signed with the Tigers as the ninth overall pick in 2016. After overcoming some developmental growing pains during his first full season, Manning ascended three levels the following year and won Eastern League pitcher of the year in 2019 at Double-A Erie. He began 2020 at the alternate training site but was shut down in late August with a right forearm strain. He was back throwing and working out at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manning possesses a natural, athletic fluidity to his 6-foot-6 frame and generates excellent extension on his pitches. His fastball sits 92-95 mph and touches 98. His plus curveball features sharp, downward action that plays well off his heater. Manning’s changeup flashes above-average with sinking action, but it still needs further improvement. Manning has worked incessantly to refine his delivery and repeat his arm slot. His tempo, athleticism and penchant for attacking the strike zone give him potential above-average control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manning still has to polish his changeup and overall delivery. Once he does, he’ll be closer to fulfilling his frontline starter potential.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #2 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Manning comes from athletic bloodlines as his father Rich played two seasons in the NBA. After climbing two levels and reaching Double-A to end his 2018 campaign, Manning took leaps forward in 2019. May was his best month, as the righthander allowed five earned runs across 31.1 innings pitched. The 21-year-old was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year thanks to his consistency and ability to throw all three of his pitches for strikes. His 148 strikeouts were second on the circuit.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manning's fastball plays up thanks to the extension he gets from his 6-foot-6 frame. He can ramp it up to 97 mph but sits more in the 92-95 range with life. Manning throws a high-spin curveball with sharp downer break that projects as plus. He will need to make sure it comes out of the same slot as his fastball as he matures. Manning's third offering is a changeup that flashes plus thanks to sinking action. His tempo, athleticism and ability to attack the strike zone help him project to have future above-average control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manning has to continue to hone his delivery while improving his ability to throw his changeup. His athleticism and competitive nature give him a mid-rotation ceiling.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #2 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Manning was lauded out of high school in part because of his stuff, but also for his athletic bloodlines. His father, Rich, played two seasons in the NBA, and Matt was a Division I basketball prospect. Manning’s 2018 season was delayed two weeks by an oblique injury, but once he got going he masted two Class A levels and climbed to Double-A at age 20.
  
  Scouting Report: Manning’s 6-foot-6 frame gives him excellent extension, which allows his plus 91-95 mph fastball to appear even firmer. His best secondary offering is his low-80s downer curveball, which is a future plus pitch. Manning shows a feel for a changeup that should develop into an average pitch, though it currently lags behind his other secondary offerings. Despite having stabbing action in his arm swing, Manning’s athleticism gives him the body control to develop average control, but at times he has struggled to maintain a consistent release point because of the drop in his arm path.
  
  The Future: Tigers personnel applaud Manning’s competitiveness. He has to continue to refine the consistency of his delivery while polishing his changeup. His combination of stuff and athleticism gives him the upside of a mid-rotation starter with improved control.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #3 prospect in 2018
  The son of an NBA player, Manning could have gone to Loyola Marymount to pitch and play forward on the basketball team. A $3.5 million signing bonus from the Tigers was a pretty convincing argument to give up basketball. Detroit held him back in extended spring training before sending him to the New York-Penn League. Manning wavered between dominant efforts and struggles both in short-season Connecticut and in a late-season cameo in low Class A West Michigan. When he's synced up his mechanics, Manning can dominate. But so far, Manning has been out of sync a lot. His arm slot unintentionally varied in 2017 from over the top to more of a high three-quarters delivery. He also varied from being direct to the plate to throwing across his body. He struggled with location as a result. In each of his first two outings with West Michigan he failed to make it out of the second inning. But when he put it together, he showed a plus 92-93 mph fastball that touched 95-96. His fastball has riding life up in the zone, or he can gear it down to locate it down and away to a righthanded hitter. His 12-to-6 above-average curveball looks like a second future plus pitch. Right now it's a late-count weapon that he buries while hitters flail helplessly, but he doesn't consistently throw it for strikes early in the count. His changeup is below-average. He needs to refine and develop it. As a tall, if athletic, righthander, Manning will continually have to work on the consistency of his delivery and he has to pick an arm slot. Ideally, Manning could develop into a front of the rotation ace, but if his control and changeup don't advance as expected he could also end up as a power reliever. He's ready to return to West Michigan for his first extended taste of full-season ball.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #1 prospect in 2017
  For the No. 9 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Manning is still relatively green when it comes to baseball. He was a two-sport star at Sheldon High in Sacramento and has basketball in his blood. His father Rich spent parts of two seasons in the NBA and his brother Ryan plays collegiately with Air Force. Matt averaged 19.4 points during his senior season and was committed to play two sports at Loyola Marymount. The Tigers, however, swayed him from that commitment by handing him a bonus of $3,505,800. That number ranks as the fourth-highest in franchise history behind Jacob Turner, Rick Porcello and Andrew Miller. He was hit a little bit in his first taste of pro ball, but also ranked second in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings; 46 of his 88 outs came via strikeouts. He ranked as the circuit's No. 2 prospect, behind only Mickey Moniak, whom the Phillies chose as the No. 1 overall pick. As a basketball standout, Manning comes equipped with long levers and an athletic frame. Those traits help him on the mound, too, where he shows more coordination in his delivery than other pitchers with long arms and legs. His delivery can get a touch across his body at times, but he also creates deception and gets enough extension to the point that one evaluator said it looked like the 6-foot-6 righthander was shaking hands with his catcher. And although the Tigers believe Manning has plenty of projection left in his frame, there are evaluators outside the organization who think his body is nearly maxed out in its present state. Manning's fastball sat at 96-97 mph during the summer but was clocked at 93-94 with hints of the upper 90s and life through the zone during instructional league. He's backs up his fastball with a spike curveball and a changeup that both have potential but also need refinement. Tigers coaches have seen rotation and sharpness from Manning's breaking ball as well as the ability to land it in the zone or bury it for a chase pitch. He will cast his curveball at times and needs to develop overall consistency with it. He had his changeup in high school but, as is the case with a lot of big-time high school arms, didn't need to use it very often because his fastball and curveball were enough to overpower prep hitters. He throws his changeup with the same arm speed and slot as his fastball, but it can get too firm at times and lose effectiveness. The Tigers believe that once Manning learns to harness his changeup and impart consistent separation from his fastball, it has the potential to be an average to above-average pitch, and Tigers coaches were pleased with its progress toward the end of the instructional league. Team officials also have spoken highly about how teachable Manning is and how well he takes to coaching. Like 2015 first-rounder Beau Burrows, another high-end prep righthander, Manning probably will begin his first full season at low Class A West Michigan. With the Whitecaps, Manning will continue to gain innings and work on overall refinement. He has a ceiling of a No. 2 starter.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #11 prospect in 2016 draft
  Manning's 6-foot-11 father Rich spent parts of two seasons in the NBA, and Matt's brother Ryan took a medical redshirt basketball at Air Force this winter, where he's a 6-foot-6 wing. The younger Manning stands 6-foot-5, averaged 19.4 points per game this winter in hoops and is signed to play both sports at Loyola Marymount. Manning has plenty of projection remaining in his frame, which has room to carry much more than his listed 195 pounds. Manning has made a jump from last summer's showcase circuit, with his significant athletic ability allowing him to improve by leaps. He's shortened his arm stroke in the back, allowing him to repeat his release point and improve his command of the strike zone. He's pitching with a plus fastball that has reached 96-97 mph, with some reports of him up to 99, and was throwing more strikes with his curveball and changeup. His secondary pitches remain inconsistent, but he's repeating his delivery better than ever, emerging as the draft's top pitcher in the Golden State.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Eastern League #3 prospect in 2019
  Manning was consistent in 2019 and quickly demonstrated that he could dominate Eastern League hitters. He ranked among league leaders in ERA (2.56), strikeouts (148) and innings (133.2). The righthander gets excellent extension off the mound, which helps his stuff play up. Manning's fastball sits in the lower 90s but tops out in the 94-96 mph range with good life. He has made great strides with his changeup, and it is effective against righthanded hitters with good sink. His best secondary offering is still his curveball, a pitch that tops out in the upper 70s with large, vertical break and two-plane movement down in the zone. His control has also headed in the right direction, and he shows the ability to throw more strikes with all three pitches. Manning's three-pitch mix and various improvements make it likely he reaches his ceiling of a mid-rotation arm.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #6 prospect in 2018
  As part of their rebuilding process, the Tigers have been stockpiling young, powerful arms via the draft and as part of midseason trades. Manning, whom the Tigers took with the ninth overall pick in 2016, combines size, athleticism and top-end stuff. Manning starts his arsenal with a low-to-mid-90s fastball that peaks around 96 mph and plays up because of the massive extension he gets from his lanky, 6-foot-6 frame. He pairs it with a hard-biting 12-to-6 curveball that can flash plus and a developing changeup that is below-average at this point. The Tigers were so intrigued by Manning that they brought him to Detroit in August to throw bullpens in front of the big league staff. With further development, he could find himself knocking on the door of the big league rotation in the near future.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #6 prospect in 2018
  Manning dominated in his second stint in the MWL. His 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings ranked first among all league starters with 50 or more innings. Evaluators are impressed with Manning's athleticism, delivery and extension. His fastball sits in the low 90s and touches 95 mph with late carry. He paired his fastball with a sharp-breaking curveball that flashes plus. He improved his changeup, but it's still fringe-average. If Manning can improve his fringe-average control, he has mid-rotation potential.
• 
  Ranked New York-Penn League #4 prospect in 2017
  After spending the first half of the season working on his delivery in Lakeland at extended spring training, Manning made a month-and-a-half stopover with Connecticut before being promoted to low Class A West Michigan. A two-sport athlete in high school who was committed to play basketball at Manning generally dominated the league. Despite that dominance the athletic Manning needs plenty of refinement. His fastball velocity varies from anywhere from 88 to 95 mph, in part because his release point and arm slot seems to vary from pitch to pitch. At times he looks like a tall, over-the-top pitcher with good direction to the plate who uses all of his 6-foot-6 frame. At other times he'll drop his arm slot to high three-quarters, throwing cross-body while showing increased deception. Like many young flame-throwers, Manning's secondary pitches are catching up to his fastball. His curveball flashes average while his changeup is generally below-average at this point, because it lacks separation or late movement.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #2 prospect in 2016
  The son of former NBA player Rich Manning, Matt was a standout high school basketball player who could have played hoops and baseball at Loyola Maramount. Instead the Tigers drafted him with the No. 9 overall pick this year and signed for $3,505,800 as the No. 9 overall pick. The Tigers kept Manning on a tight leash in his pro debut, never letting him throw more than three innings in a start. Manning struck out 38 percent of the batters he faced in the GCL, where his fastball sat at 93-97 mph with steep downhill angle. He has tight spin on a power curve, which he doesn't always repeat consistently, but it's a swing-and-miss pitch that flashes plus. He didn't throw his changeup much in short stints, but he has shown feel for that pitch. Manning throws slightly across his body, which creates some deception, and his excellent athleticism helps him repeat his delivery to throw plenty of strikes. He has the upside to develop into a front-end starter.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #30 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #17 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #50 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #78 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #61 prospect in 2017

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Changeup: 55. Curveball: 60. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former NBA power forward Rich Manning, Matt was committed to St. Mary's to play both basketball and baseball but instead signed with the Tigers as the ninth overall pick in 2016. After overcoming some developmental growing pains during his first full season, Manning ascended three levels the following year and won Eastern League pitcher of the year in 2019 at Double-A Erie. He began 2020 at the alternate training site but was shut down in late August with a right forearm strain. He was back throwing and working out at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manning possesses a natural, athletic fluidity to his 6-foot-6 frame and generates excellent extension on his pitches. His fastball sits 92-95 mph and touches 98. His plus curveball features sharp, downward action that plays well off his heater. Manning's changeup flashes above-average with sinking action, but it still needs further improvement. Manning has worked incessantly to refine his delivery and repeat his arm slot. His tempo, athleticism and penchant for attacking the strike zone give him potential above-average control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manning still has to polish his changeup and overall delivery. Once he does, he'll be closer to fulfilling his frontline starter potential.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Changeup: 55. Curveball: 60. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former NBA power forward Rich Manning, Matt was committed to St. Mary’s to play both basketball and baseball but instead signed with the Tigers as the ninth overall pick in 2016. After overcoming some developmental growing pains during his first full season, Manning ascended three levels the following year and won Eastern League pitcher of the year in 2019 at Double-A Erie. He began 2020 at the alternate training site but was shut down in late August with a right forearm strain. He was back throwing and working out at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manning possesses a natural, athletic fluidity to his 6-foot-6 frame and generates excellent extension on his pitches. His fastball sits 92-95 mph and touches 98. His plus curveball features sharp, downward action that plays well off his heater. Manning’s changeup flashes above-average with sinking action, but it still needs further improvement. Manning has worked incessantly to refine his delivery and repeat his arm slot. His tempo, athleticism and penchant for attacking the strike zone give him potential above-average control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manning still has to polish his changeup and overall delivery. Once he does, he’ll be closer to fulfilling his frontline starter potential.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Changeup: 55. Curveball: 60. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former NBA power forward Rich Manning, Matt was committed to St. Mary’s to play both basketball and baseball but instead signed with the Tigers as the ninth overall pick in 2016. After overcoming some developmental growing pains during his first full season, Manning ascended three levels the following year and won Eastern League pitcher of the year in 2019 at Double-A Erie. He began 2020 at the alternate training site but was shut down in late August with a right forearm strain. He was back throwing and working out at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manning possesses a natural, athletic fluidity to his 6-foot-6 frame and generates excellent extension on his pitches. His fastball sits 92-95 mph and touches 98. His plus curveball features sharp, downward action that plays well off his heater. Manning’s changeup flashes above-average with sinking action, but it still needs further improvement. Manning has worked incessantly to refine his delivery and repeat his arm slot. His tempo, athleticism and penchant for attacking the strike zone give him potential above-average control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manning still has to polish his changeup and overall delivery. Once he does, he’ll be closer to fulfilling his frontline starter potential.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Manning comes from athletic bloodlines as his father Rich played two seasons in the NBA. After climbing two levels and reaching Double-A to end his 2018 campaign, Manning took leaps forward in 2019. May was his best month, as the righthander allowed five earned runs across 31.1 innings pitched. The 21-year-old was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year thanks to his consistency and ability to throw all three of his pitches for strikes. His 148 strikeouts were second on the circuit.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manning’s fastball plays up thanks to the extension he gets from his 6-foot-6 frame. He can ramp it up to 97 mph but sits more in the 92-95 range with life. Manning throws a high-spin curveball with sharp downer break that projects as plus. He will need to make sure it comes out of the same slot as his fastball as he matures. Manning’s third offering is a changeup that flashes plus thanks to sinking action. His tempo, athleticism and ability to attack the strike zone help him project to have future above-average control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manning has to continue to hone his delivery while improving his ability to throw his changeup. His athleticism and competitive nature give him a mid-rotation ceiling.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Manning comes from athletic bloodlines as his father Rich played two seasons in the NBA. After climbing two levels and reaching Double-A to end his 2018 campaign, Manning took leaps forward in 2019. May was his best month, as the righthander allowed five earned runs across 31.1 innings pitched. The 21-year-old was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year thanks to his consistency and ability to throw all three of his pitches for strikes. His 148 strikeouts were second on the circuit.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manning's fastball plays up thanks to the extension he gets from his 6-foot-6 frame. He can ramp it up to 97 mph but sits more in the 92-95 range with life. Manning throws a high-spin curveball with sharp downer break that projects as plus. He will need to make sure it comes out of the same slot as his fastball as he matures. Manning's third offering is a changeup that flashes plus thanks to sinking action. His tempo, athleticism and ability to attack the strike zone help him project to have future above-average control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manning has to continue to hone his delivery while improving his ability to throw his changeup. His athleticism and competitive nature give him a mid-rotation ceiling.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Manning was consistent in 2019 and quickly demonstrated that he could dominate Eastern League hitters. He ranked among league leaders in ERA (2.56), strikeouts (148) and innings (133.2). The righthander gets excellent extension off the mound, which helps his stuff play up. Manning's fastball sits in the lower 90s but tops out in the 94-96 mph range with good life. He has made great strides with his changeup, and it is effective against righthanded hitters with good sink. His best secondary offering is still his curveball, a pitch that tops out in the upper 70s with large, vertical break and two-plane movement down in the zone. His control has also headed in the right direction, and he shows the ability to throw more strikes with all three pitches. Manning's three-pitch mix and various improvements make it likely he reaches his ceiling of a mid-rotation arm.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Manning has all the makings of a potential front of the rotation starter, even if he has the inconsistencies that aren’t uncommon for young, tall pitchers of his ilk. Manning’s 91-95 mph fastball generates an above-average rate of swings and misses because he has such excellent extension and the fastball has good life up in the zone. His curveball comes and goes, but when it’s on, it’s plus as well. When he has those two pitches, he dominates. Other times, he struggles to locate his fastball and his below-average changeup gets hit.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The son of an NBA player, Manning could have gone to Loyola Marymount to pitch and play basketball. The Tigers convinced him otherwise with a $3.5 million bonus after taking him ninth overall in 2016. They held him back in extended spring training in 2017 before sending him to the short-season New York-Penn League. Scouting Report: When his mechanics are synced, Manning can dominate, but as with many tall pitchers, that's not always the case. His arm slot varied in 2017 from over the top to more of a high three-quarters delivery. He also varied from being direct to the plate to throwing across his body. He struggled at low Class A West Michigan late in 2017, but when he put it together showed a plus 92-93 mph fastball that touched 96. His fastball has riding life up in the zone and can also be located down and away to righthanders. His above-average 12-to-6 curveball looks like a second future plus pitch. It's a late-count weapon that he doesn't consistently throw for strikes. His changeup is below-average. The Future: Manning has ace potential, but if his control and changeup don't advance, he could end up in the bullpen. He's ready to return to West Michigan.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: For the No. 9 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Manning is still relatively green when it comes to baseball. He was a two-sport star at Sheldon High in Sacramento and has basketball in his blood. His father Rich spent parts of two seasons in the NBA and his brother Ryan plays collegiately with Air Force. Matt averaged 19.4 points during his senior season and was committed to play two sports at Loyola Marymount. The Tigers, however, swayed him from that commitment by handing him a bonus of $3,505,800. That number ranks as the fourth-highest in franchise history behind Jacob Turner, Rick Porcello and Andrew Miller. He was hit a little bit in his first taste of pro ball, but also ranked second in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings; 46 of his 88 outs came via strikeouts. He ranked as the circuit's No. 2 prospect, behind only Mickey Moniak, whom the Phillies chose as the No. 1 overall pick. Scouting Report: As a basketball standout, Manning comes equipped with long levers and an athletic frame. Those traits help him on the mound, too, where he shows more coordination in his delivery than other pitchers with long arms and legs. His delivery can get a touch across his body at times, but he also creates deception and gets enough extension to the point that one evaluator said it looked like the 6-foot-6 righthander was shaking hands with his catcher. And although the Tigers believe Manning has plenty of projection left in his frame, there are evaluators outside the organization who think his body is nearly maxed out in its present state. Manning's fastball sat at 96-97 mph during the summer but was clocked at 93-94 with hints of the upper 90s and life through the zone during instructional league. He's backs up his fastball with a spike curveball and a changeup that both have potential but also need refinement. Tigers coaches have seen rotation and sharpness from Manning's breaking ball as well as the ability to land it in the zone or bury it for a chase pitch. He will cast his curveball at times and needs to develop overall consistency with it. He had his changeup in high school but, as is the case with a lot of big-time high school arms, didn't need to use it very often because his fastball and curveball were enough to overpower prep hitters. He throws his changeup with the same arm speed and slot as his fastball, but it can get too firm at times and lose effectiveness. The Tigers believe that once Manning learns to harness his changeup and impart consistent separation from his fastball, it has the potential to be an average to above-average pitch, and Tigers coaches were pleased with its progress toward the end of the instructional league. Team officials also have spoken highly about how teachable Manning is and how well he takes to coaching. The Future: Like 2015 first-rounder Beau Burrows, another high-end prep righthander, Manning probably will begin his first full season at low Class A West Michigan. With the Whitecaps, Manning will continue to gain innings and work on overall refinement. He has a ceiling of a No. 2 starter.