In one sense, pitching in professional baseball will be a little bit easier for Brian Matusz than it was in college.
He won’t have to take a morning class before pitching later in the evening.
“I had to pitch on Fridays, so I’d have to go to class and then have to get ready for a start,” Matusz said of his experience at the University of San Diego. “I’m looking forward to not having to do that and just focusing on baseball, working out and getting myself in shape.”
The fourth overall selection from the June First-Year Player Draft visited Oriole Park at Camden Yards for the first time Friday. Matusz, 21, took a tour of the ballpark before trying on a black Orioles jersey with the No. 08 on the back. He also had the opportunity to meet Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, and chat briefly with manager Dave Trembley.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound left-hander reports to Aberdeen Saturday to work out with the Orioles short-season Single-A affiliate. But he won’t pitch in an actual game until after this season – in either the Arizona Fall League or Hawaiian Winter League.
“I won’t be playing with the team, but I’ll be there dressing out. That will be exciting. I think it will hit me then that now I’m playing professional baseball,” Matusz said. “I’ll work as hard as I can to get to the big leagues.”
As for when he reaches the majors, Matusz refused to set a timetable. But by signing a major league contract, he set himself on a rather expedited path
“This is an advanced amateur college pitcher,” Orioles scouting director Joe Jordan said Friday. “We’re excited about getting him in the draft, and as soon as we get him out and get him started, he’ll get into the routine. He’ll take care of his business. I do think it will be quick, but as far as timetable, I don’t know.”
Because he signed so late, Matusz will not pitch a professional game this season.
Matusz is likely to begin next season at either low Single-A Delmarva or advanced Single-A Frederick. Matt Wieters, the Orioles 2007 first round pick who signed his contract just minutes before the deadline, began his first professional season this year at Frederick and is already playing at Double-A Bowie.
Wherever Matusz ends up is fine. He’s just happy the contract negotiations are finished.
“I knew from the beginning that we’d get it done,” Matusz said. “Obviously, it’s a long process and it takes a while. There [are] a lot of things to get worked out, but I knew a couple weeks up to the deadline that it was going to happen. Things were moving a little bit, and I knew it wasn’t going to come up to the last hour. Thankfully, it didn’t and we got it done earlier.”
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