Matt Mervis #35

Attended Duke University (Raleigh, N.C.) where he played for four seasons. Led the Blue Devils in hits (17), home runs (three) and total bases (33) during the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season...Was a college teammate of current Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine during the 2017-18 seasons at Duke...Was originally signed by Washington in the 39th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft but did not sign...Graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School (Md.).

2024

Entered the season as the Cubs’ No. 15 prospect by MLB Pipeline...Batted .115 (3x26) with one double and three RBI in nine games with the Cubs during one stint in the Majors from April 23-May 3...On April 27 at BOS, made his first career relief appearance, pitching 0.2 innings and surrendering six runs on seven hits...On May 1 vs. NYM, drove in a double at 111.7 mph, his hardest hit ball of the season... Slashed .235/.329/.434/.763 (71x302) with 15 doubles, 15 home runs and 43 RBI in 81 games with Triple-A Iowa...Missed over six weeks from July 4-Aug. 20 on Triple-A Iowa’s Injured list with a hand injury...Hit .228 (21x92) with three doubles, two home runs and six RBI in 26 games with the Iowa Cubs after return from injury through the end of the season. Walked 13 times against 43 strikeouts...Posted reverse splits, batting .317 (26x82) against left-handed pitchers with five doubles, seven home runs and a 1.030 OPS. In a larger sample size against right-handed pitchers, hit .205 (45x220) with 10 doubles, eight home runs and a .662 OPS.

2023

Matt made his MLB debut May 5, 2023, and batted .167 (15- for-90) with two doubles and three home runs in 27 games with the Cubs...With Triple-A Iowa, batted .282 (102-for-362), with 23 doubles, one triple, 22 home runs and 78 RBI in 100 games...Started his major league career with a hit and RBI in each of his first two games on May 5-6 vs. Miami...On May 5 became the 15th Cub since 2000 to record a hit and an RBI in his major league debut (last done by Narciso Crook, June 30, 2022)...He is the fifth Cub in the Divisional Era (since 1969) to record at least one hit and one RBI in each of their first two MLB games (also Jorge Soler - 2014, Rafael Palmeiro - 1986, Dan Rohn - 1983 and Scot Thompson - 1978).

2022

Matt was named the 2022 Cubs Minor League Player of the Year after batted a combined .309 (158-for-512) with 40 doubles, two triples, 36 home runs, 119 RBI and 50 walks, contributing to a .379 on-base percentage and a .984 OPS....Touched three levels of the Cubs organization, High-A South Bend, Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa....His 36 home runs were the most by a Cubs Minor Leaguer since Kris Bryant's 43 in 2014....His 119 RBI were the most by any minor leaguer since Mason Martin recorded 129 in 2019....Began the season with South Bend, batting .350 (35-for-100) with nine doubles, seven home runs and 29 RBI in 27 games prior to his May 17 promotion to Tennessee....Was named the Midwest League Player of the Week from May 9-15, going 12-for-21 (.571) with four doubles, two home runs and seven RBI, including four-straight multi-hit efforts from May 10-13....Hit safely in 13 of his first 16 games with the Smokies, batting .322 (19-for-59) during the run....Homered in three straight games from June 2-4....Tallied eight home runs and 23 RBI in 26 games in June....Totaled 16 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs and 51 RBI in 53 games for Tennessee....Was promoted to the I-Cubs on July 18....Tallied eight RBI in his first nine Triple-A contests, including a five-game RBI streak from July 27-31.Was named the Cubs' Minor League Player of the Month for August after hitting .305 (25-for-82) with seven doubles, four home runs and 12 RBI during the month....Recorded an 11-game hitting streak from Aug. 19-Sept. 4, including a three-game home run streak from Sept. 1-4... Batted .416 (20-for-48) with four doubles, six home runs and 12 RBI during the run....On Aug. 25 vs. St. Paul, hit a walk-off, solo home run, leading the I-Cubs to a 2-1 victory....Finished his 2022 season by hitting .300 (27-for-90) with four doubles, nine home runs and 19 RBI in Sept....Was named an MiLB.com Cubs Organizational All-Star....Following the 2022 season, played for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League, batting .262 (16-for-61) with two doubles, six home runs and 12 RBI in 17 games... Was named to the AFL Rising Stars team and participated in the AFL Home Run Derby.