Matthew den Dekker

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Mets #25 prospect in 2014
  Den Dekker lost his place in line on the center-field depth chart in 2013 when he injured his left wrist while attempting a diving catch during spring training. Had he not been on the disabled list for the first two and a half months, then he, and not Juan Lagares, probably would have received the callup in late April. A graceful athlete, den Dekker has above-average speed and plays a plus center field, which could be his ticket to a big league reserve role. A fringy offensive player because he strikes out a lot--more than a third of the time during a September callup--he offers value in the form of walks and power, though probably not enough of the latter to start on a good team. Den Dekker will be 26 on Opening Day and he does enough things well to earn an extended look with the rebuilding Mets during the 2014 season.
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  Ranked New York Mets #15 prospect in 2013
  A $110,000 senior sign out of Florida in 2010, den Dekker reached Double-A in his first full pro campaign but struggled to find hits at the Triple-A level in his second. He has ranked as the system's top defensive outfielder since turning pro. Graceful actions, plus range and good routes in center field make him a favorite of scouts, who grade him as at least a 60 defender on the 20-80 scouting scale. An average and accurate arm allowed him to rack up 11 outfield assists in 2012. Den Dekker runs average times to first base, so he's not a big basestealing threat, but he has plus speed under way in the outfield. At the plate, he can turn on fastballs and drive them for power with a fluid lefty stroke, but he struggles to identify offspeed pitches or hit southpaws, so high strikeout totals and low batting averages will be par for the course. With consecutive 150-strikeout seasons on his résumé, den Dekker looks less like an everyday option and more like an extra outfielder. His glove, speed and power could make him a valuable reserve, a role he may begin filling in the second half of 2013 if he makes a better showing against Triple-A pitchers.
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  Ranked New York Mets #12 prospect in 2012
  Den Dekker turned in his finest offensive season in college as a senior, batting .352 with 13 homers at Florida in 2010, and he needed less than a year to reach Double-A after turning pro. He had batted a cumulative .310/.374/.488 in 94 Class A games, but his average plummeted to .235 at Binghamton as the strikeouts piled up. He finished with 156 whiffs in 139 games, though the Mets believe he's a more nuanced hitter than he showed last season. They think den Dekker got caught between being too passive and too aggressive as Binghamton's primary leadoff hitter. He turns on inside fastballs on occasion, but for the most part he's a gap hitter with below-average power. Den Dekker's value is tied to his defensive range and his speed, both of which are plus tools and crucial to the success of any center fielder. He reads balls well off the bat and takes proper routes He unleashes accurate throws with carry, using average arm strength. Despite his raw speed, den Dekker is a modest stolen-base threat because he's faster underway than on his first step. He profiles as a fringe starter in center or, more likely, a strong outfield reserve.
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  Ranked New York Mets #23 prospect in 2011
  On the heels of poor junior season, den Dekker turned down the Pirates as a 16th-round pick in 2009, opting to return to Florida for his senior year. He moved up 11 rounds in the draft and signed for $110,000 after a career year for the Gators, during which he batted .352/.435/.563 with 13 homers and 23 steals in 62 games. That performance helped mitigate scouts' concerns about his pitch-recognition skills and contact ability, and den Dekker continued to hit after jumping to low Class A in his pro debut. His swing can get choppy and he's not a high-contact, bat-control player, so his average may settle in the .260 range. An open batting stance this season helped him shorten his stride, though it didn't appear to aid him against lefthanders, who have tormented him since college. A physical player with strength in his swing, he can drive the ball to the alleys and to his pull side, but his power is below-average. It's on defense where den Dekker shines. He's a big league-caliber defender in center field with tremendous range and solid arm strength. He's a plus runner. The Mets intend to challenge den Dekker, a high-energy player who could have a long career as a lefty-batting extra outfielder who can defend, run and hit a bit.