- Full name Matthew Pender
- Born
- Profile Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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After he took his teams to College World Series at the junior college and NCAA Division II levels the last two years, the Tigers drafted Pender with a 2002 third-round pick they received from the Mets as compensation for free agent Roger Cedeno. Considered a project despite his college background, Pender was more refined than Detroit expected. In his first pro summer, he displayed good command of his fastball while making progress with his offspeed pitches. Scouts compare him to Andy Ashby because he has a loose, lanky frame and a fluid motion. Pender's fastball has good life and consistently hits 90-92 mph. His curveball is a plus pitch at times but is inconsistent, and his changeup has a long way to go. The main thing Tigers coaches have been working on with Pender is getting him to trust his ability. When he gets in trouble, it's often because he's being too fine with his fastball early in the count. Pender will begin this season in low Class A.
