The Boston Red Sox used their fourth-round pick to select Missouri State outfielder Tate Matheny, the son of St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, Tuesday.
Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal noted the selection:
Matheny, who was previously drafted by his father's organization in the 23rd round of the 2012 draft, is coming off of a strong campaign with the Bears. He posted a .417 on-base percentage with 12 stolen bases and five home runs in 61 games.
MacPherson also pointed out an interesting stat concerning Matheny's plate appearances at Missouri State, noting that he was hit by 18 pitches in 61 games, the second most in the Missouri Valley Conference:
Red Sox Stats also picked up on the rate at which Matheny was hit by a pitch:
The elder Matheny told Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he wouldn't have minded if the Cardinals drafted his son again. That said, after talking with some other players who went through that situation, he understood there would be benefits of Tate carving his own path: "I won't specify who said what, but one of them (said) that, 'If I could do it over again, it probably would have been a better route not to be on the same team.'"
Despite his comments on potentially getting a chance to coach his son, the elder Matheny commented on his son's selection, per MLB Network Radio:
Matheny is a solid contact hitter capable of developing some pop. He's also an above-average defender with an ability to cover a lot of ground and keep baserunners honest with his arm.
JJ Cooper of Baseball America noted a position change may be in his future:
All told, going to the Red Sox is probably a better route for him than the Cardinals. The fact his dad is the manager of the big league club would hang over his head in the St. Louis organization. With Boston, he'll get a fresh start.
His defense should allow him to make steady progress through the system. The question is whether his bat will be good enough to survive as the level of pitching increases. He'll need to work on his approach at the plate to have long-term success.
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