Matt Ager Stats & Scouting Report

IP	76.0
ERA	4.86
WHIP	1.640
BB/9	5.6
SO/9	5.9

Full name Matthew Lance Ager
Born 05/21/2003 in Pleasanton, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School UC Santa Barbara
Drafted in the 6th round (174th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024 (signed for $357,400).

View Draft Report

School: UC Santa Barbara
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Fastball: 50. Slider: 50. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.

Ager had appealing starter traits and good fastball shape out of high school, but he lacked consistent velocity and made it to campus at UC Santa Barbara. He split time as a starter and reliever throughout his three seasons in college, with a sensational 2023 campaign as a full-time starter. He took a step back in 2024, when he posted a 4.16 ERA over 62.2 innings, including nine starts and 15 appearances out of the bullpen. Ager looks the part on the mound with a lean, 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame that still has some room for physical projection. He sits in the 90-93 mph range and has been up to 96 in the past, though 95 was more typical for him to top out at this spring. Ager relies on his fastball and a low-80s slider for around 90% of his pitch usage. His slider is a short-breaking pitch with three-quarters shape and solid spin but looks more like an average offering than a breaking ball with wipeout potential. He has also thrown a mid-70s curveball with 12-to-6 downer action and solid finish, though he will cast his curve at times. He also throws a rarely used mid-80s changeup. Scouts appreciate Ager’s projection and delivery, but he has reliever risk and his stuff didn’t take the step forward many had hoped.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: Fresh off a stint with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team in 2023, Ager entered the 2024 season as UC Santa Barbara’s ace with potential day one buzz. Instead, a nagging oblique injury, inconsistency, a move to the closer role and a short, ineffective Cape Cod League stint hurt his draft stock. The Pirates swooped in to draft Ager in the sixth round and sign him for $357,400. He did not make his pro debut.

Scouting Report: Ager is an interesting projection candidate given his starter traits and room to add more strength onto his 6-foot-6 frame. He relied heavily on his fastball-slider combination in college. Ager’s 90-93 mph heater maxed out at 95 in 2024, a tick or so below what scouts previously saw as a sophomore. His shorter low-80s slider is his best secondary with average potential. Ager also mixed in a slower, loopier mid-70s curveball and a mid-80s changeup at times. Scouts generally liked his easy, repeatable delivery, although the Pirates believed some of his injury woes negatively impacted his mechanics and strike-throwing compared to 2023.

The Future: Ager is an interesting project if the Pirates can clean up his delivery and add a bit more power to his arsenal to help his stuff tick up. He is expected to be healthy for spring training and has the ceiling of a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50.

Draft Prospects

School: UC Santa Barbara Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Fastball: 50. Slider: 50. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.

Ager had appealing starter traits and good fastball shape out of high school, but he lacked consistent velocity and made it to campus at UC Santa Barbara. He split time as a starter and reliever throughout his three seasons in college, with a sensational 2023 campaign as a full-time starter. He took a step back in 2024, when he posted a 4.16 ERA over 62.2 innings, including nine starts and 15 appearances out of the bullpen. Ager looks the part on the mound with a lean, 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame that still has some room for physical projection. He sits in the 90-93 mph range and has been up to 96 in the past, though 95 was more typical for him to top out at this spring. Ager relies on his fastball and a low-80s slider for around 90% of his pitch usage. His slider is a short-breaking pitch with three-quarters shape and solid spin but looks more like an average offering than a breaking ball with wipeout potential. He has also thrown a mid-70s curveball with 12-to-6 downer action and solid finish, though he will cast his curve at times. He also throws a rarely used mid-80s changeup. Scouts appreciate Ager’s projection and delivery, but he has reliever risk and his stuff didn’t take the step forward many had hoped.