Rays select prep ace Matthew Liberatore No. 16 overall
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With the 16th pick in the 2018 MLB amateur draft, the Tampa Bay Rays selected high school left-hander Matthew Liberatore, a 6-foot-5 behemoth with three potential plus pitches and one of the highest ceilings in this year's class.
Bio
Age: 18
Position: LHP
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 200 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L
School: Mountain Ridge HS (Glendale, Ariz.)
NCAA commit: Arizona
Player comp: Tyler Skaggs
Pick value: $3,603,500
MLB.com prospect rank: 4
MLB.com money quote: "He has the potential to eventually develop three pitches that could garner a 60 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale."
Scouting Grades
| Fastball | Curveball | Slider | Changeup | Control | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
2018 stats
| IP (G) | ERA | K% | K/BB | HR/9 | OPP. AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60.1 (10) | 0.93 | 43.7% | 4.16 | 0.15 | .134 |
Take a look ...
(Grades courtesy: MLB Pipeline)