Matthew Liberatore was selected by the Rays 16th overall in the 2018 Draft, and then traded to the Cardinals in the deal that sent Randy Arozarena to Tampa Bay in January 2020. The left-hander is St. Louis' No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 39 overall. He was called up to the Majors on Thursday and is expected to make his big-league debut Saturday against the Pirates at PNC Park. But who is Matthew Liberatore? Here's what you need to know:
FAST FACTS
MLB organization: Cardinals
Birthdate: Nov. 6, 1999 (Age 22 in 2022)
Primary position: LHP
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 200 lbs.
Bats/throws: Left/left
Hometown: Glendale, Ariz.
School(s): Mountain Ridge (Ariz.) HS
Drafted: 16th overall, 2018 (by TB)
He struck out nearly four batters for every walk he issued at Triple-A in 2022
Liberatore saw his strikeout rate jump year-over-year from 2021 to '22, with the left-hander fanning 28 percent of batters faced over seven starts at Triple-A Memphis this season after posting a 24 percent strikeout rate last year. He also continued to show good control, striking out 3.8 batters for every walk he issued in those seven starts.
Featuring a good 12-to-6 curveball and a biting slider that has perhaps eclipsed that pitch as his best secondary offering, Liberatore also throws a fastball that can touch 96 mph and a solid changeup.
He was drafted three spots ahead of one of his best friends, with whom he was called up to the Majors
While they began their professional baseball journeys with different organizations, Liberatore and one of his best friends from childhood, infielder Nolan Gorman, were called up by the Cardinals simultaneously. They were reunited in the Cardinals organization after St. Louis traded for Liberatore in the deal that sent Randy Arozarena to Tampa Bay.
He was part of a star-studded gold-medal-winning Team USA
Along with his buddy Gorman, as well as Triston Casas, Jarred Kelenic, Ryan Weathers and Kumar Rocker, Liberatore played for the U.S. 18-and-under national team when it made an undefeated championship run through the 2017 World Baseball Softball Federation U-18 Baseball World Cup. Liberatore tossed 12 scoreless innings in the tournament, giving up five hits while walking five and striking out 13.
He's "Pitching Ninja-Approved"
Rob Friedman, a.k.a. "Pitching Ninja" on Twitter, regularly regales us with tremendous pitching content, much of it in the form of nasty pitches that baffle opposing hitters. It's mostly big leaguers that get his attention, but exceptions are made for pitchers like Liberatore, who was honored to be highlighted by Friedman in 2020.
He looks up to Aroldis Chapman, Max Scherzer and Marcus Stroman
Those are the three star pitchers in the Majors that Liberatore told STLSportsPage.com's Rob Rains he models his game after. He said he identifies with Chapman, in particular, because of the flame-throwing left-hander's demeanor on the mound, which he described as "being the biggest, baddest dude out there."