Matt Thaiss

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #8 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Thaiss, a converted catcher who signed for $2.15 million as the 16th overall pick in 2016, made some subtle adjustments in his stance, hips and swing path in 2018 in an effort to eliminate a bat tip and elevate the ball more. The results were tangible. Thaiss hit 16 homers with a .467 slugging percentage in 125 games across Double-A and Triple-A, up from nine homers and a .385 slugging percentage in 2017.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite a lower walk rate with his power spike, Thaiss still has the best plate discipline in the system. He has a unique ability to control the strike zone and spoil tough pitches, often extending at-bats. He pounces on mistakes and drives the ball up the middle and to his pull side. Thaiss has made huge strides defensively at first base after looking rigid and uncomfortable in his first instructional league. He may never be a Gold Glover, but his range, hands, ability to pick balls in the dirt and turn the 3-1 play have improved to make him an average defender.
  
  The Future: Thaiss is finally beginning to show the kind of power that warranted a switch to first base, though he projects more as a contributor than a star. He's in line to make his big league debut in 2019.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #8 prospect in 2018
  Thaiss, who signed for $2.15 million, was a bat-first catcher in college. The Angels were sold on the bat, but not the glove so as soon as they drafted him, they announced that he was a full-time first baseman. He hasn't gotten behind the dish in two pro seasons. Thaiss has carried the advanced plate discipline he showed in college to the minor leagues, where he has 141 strikeouts and 103 walks in 778 at-bats across four levels, but his power slipped after a July 11 promotion to Double-A Mobile, where he hit only one home run in 49 games. Thaiss has made considerable strides defensively at first base. He looked a little rigid and rough around the edges in his first instructional league, but his range, hands, and ability to pick balls in the dirt and complete the 3-1 play have improved to the point where he looks comfortable at his new position. Offensively, Thaiss controls the strike zone well and knows how to battle and spoil pitches. He has a good approach, doesn't chase bat pitches and isn't afraid to take a walk. He hits the ball hard but does not elevate it enough to clear the fence regularly. Thaiss has solid gap-to-gap power, but until he learns how to turn on a ball and better punish mistakes, his ceiling will be that of a high on-base, 15-homer hitter and possible platoon player in the big leagues.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #2 prospect in 2017
  The Angels used their first-round pick to select a college catcher for the second straight year, but unlike 2015 pick Taylor Ward, Thaiss probably won't don catcher's gear as a pro. The Angels coveted his advanced hitting ability and played him at first base in his pro debut. There's little doubt Thaiss is a plus hitter. He takes excellent at-bats, knows his plan, doesn't chase bad pitches and isn't afraid to take a walk. He walked nearly as often as he struck out in pro ball after compiling a 55-to-74 strikeout-to-walk ratio in three college seasons. With plus bat speed and a strong swing with leverage, Thaiss has above-average to plus raw power. While some scouts project he'll hit 10-15 home runs per season, his plate discipline should help him translate his raw power to game power. He's a below-average runner. The biggest question about Thaiss is where he'll play on the field. He is still inexperienced at first base, with stiff hands and uncertain actions around the bag. Thaiss' polished bat could move very quickly. He will head to high Class A Inland Empire in 2017, but if he hits could shoot through the system to a big league roster shy on lefthanded bats.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #28 prospect in 2016 draft
  When Thaiss came to Virginia from Jackson (N.J.) Memorial High, he wasn't proficient enough behind the plate to catch every day and played sparingly his freshman year. Injuries forced the Cavaliers' hand in 2015, and Thaiss became the primary catcher, where he's been for two springs. He has more than enough arm for the position, but many scouts aren't sold on his receiving and blocking skills despite the work he's put into both. Thaiss' lefthanded bat is his most lucrative tool; there's little doubt he'll hit. He's been a force in the middle of Virginia's order for two seasons, spraying line drives and packing above-average power into his 6-foot, 195-pound frame. Thaiss has excellent feel for the strike zone and rarely strikes out. Through his first 182 at-bats this spring, he struck out just eight times to 32 walks. Thaiss' bat will get him drafted, but he could go early to a team that believes in his catching ability.
• Ranked #224 prospect in 2013 draft
  Thaiss is one of the top high school catchers in the Northeast, the rare prep backstop with polished tools behind the plate. He has a solid-average arm that plays well because of a good transfer. He is a good athlete who blocks and receives well, though his footwork has room for improvement. A lefthanded hitter, he has a line drive approach and tends to get around the ball. He fits in the eighth to 10th round, but it will likely take more than that to lure him to pro ball because he is committed to Virginia.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Midwest League #15 prospect in 2016
  From the amateur ranks to the pros, Thaiss has been regarded as a catcher in name only. He wasn't proficient enough to play the position when he first got to Virginia, and then after two passable years behind the plate in college, the Angels drafted him 16th overall and immediately shifted him to first base. That's OK, because Thaiss' bat will do the carrying. The New Jersey native should be an above-average hitter, thanks to a line-drive stroke and an all-fields game plan. Thaiss rarely expands the strike zone and is content to walk. His power projection is most in question. One MWL manager pegged Thaiss' home-run projection at about 7-10 annually, while other evaluators think he could get to possibly 15 a season. That sort of power profile doesn't always fit at first base, and at least one manager predicts the Angels will try Thaiss again at catcher at some point. If not, he has an average arm that might play at third base, though his below-average speed would be stretched in left field.

• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  The 2016 first-round pick has the best plate discipline of any player in the system. The biggest question was if he would develop the kind of power that warranted his move from catcher to first base. Thaiss is providing an answer, with 14 homers and 46 extra-base hits in 89 games at Double-A and Triple-A, both career-highs already. He’s also progressed to an average to above-average defender at first base, helping solidify himself as the Angels’ first baseman of the future.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Thaiss, who signed for $2.15 million, was a bat-first catcher in college. The Angels were sold on his bat but not his glove, so they announced him as a full-time first baseman when signing him. He hasn't gotten behind the dish in two pro seasons. Scouting Report: Thaiss has carried the advanced plate discipline he showed in college to pro ball, where he has a high walk rate (12 percent) and moderate strikeout rate (17 percent). His power, however, slipped in 2017 after a July 11 promotion to Double-A Mobile, where he hit only one home run in 49 games. Thaiss has made strides defensively at first base. He looked a little rigid and rough around the edges at 2016 instructional league, but his range, hands and ability to pick balls in the dirt improved dramatically. Thaiss controls the strike zone and knows how to battle and spoil pitches. He has a good approach, doesn't chase pitches and isn't afraid to work deep counts. He hits the ball hard but does not elevate enough to clear the fence regularly. The Future: Unless Thaiss learns how to turn on the ball and punish mistakes, his ceiling will be limited to an on-base-oriented hitter and possible second-division player at first base.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Angels used their first-round pick to select a college catcher for the second straight year, but unlike 2015 pick Taylor Ward, Thaiss probably won't don catcher's gear as a pro. The Angels coveted his advanced hitting ability, not his glove, and played him at first base in his pro debut. Scouting Report: There's little doubt Thaiss is a plus hitter. He takes excellent at-bats, knows his plan, doesn't chase bad pitches and isn't afraid to take a walk. He walked nearly as often as he struck out in pro ball after compiling a 55-74 strikeout-to-walk ratio in three college seasons. With plus bat speed and a strong, whippy swing with leverage, Thaiss has above-average to plus raw power. While some scouts project he'll hit 10-15 home runs per season, his plate discipline should help him translate his raw power to game power. He's a below-average runner. The biggest question about Thaiss is where he'll play on the field. He is still inexperienced at first base, with stiff hands and uncertain actions around the bag.
  
  The Future: Thaiss' polished bat could move very quickly. He will head to high Class A Inland Empire after spring training and, but if he hits, he could shoot through the system to a big league roster shy on lefthanded bats.