Matt Thaiss

Matt Thaiss's Biography

Matthew Kevin Thaiss, a child of Jackson Township, New Jersey, took his first breaths on May 6, 1995, starting his journey in life. From a young age, his passion for baseball was apparent. From catching balls in the backyard to smacking them out of the field at Jackson Memorial High School, Thaiss established a name for himself as a skillful player known for his powerful swing and impressive form. During his high school career, Thaiss made a staggering .343 batting average, hitting 17 home runs and securing 70 runs batted in (RBIs). His stellar performance drew the attention of many; among them was the Boston Red Sox.

In the 32nd round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, the Boston Red Sox saw potential in this young player and extended an offer to join their team. However, Matthew had plans of his own; he turned down their proposal to follow his dream of attending the University of Virginia, where he played for the Virginia Cavaliers.

As a freshman in Virginia in 2014, he depicted grand promise – in 26 games, he struck out at the designated hitter 16 times and boasted a .265 hitting average with seven RBIs in 68 at-bats. His solid performance did not waver but rather escalated in his sophomore year; out of 68 games, Thaiss started 67. He recorded a powerful performance, batting .323/.413/.552 with ten home runs and 64 RBIs. In the summer of the same year, he played for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League, further polishing his skills.

The year 2016 saw Thaiss excelling in his game. He participated in 60 games, hit at an impressive .375/.473/.578, and clubbed ten home runs. This exceptional performance caught the eye of one of the giants in MLB, the Los Angeles Angels, which presented him with a golden ticket into the league – Thaiss got drafted in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft by the Angels with the 16th overall pick.

Following his sign up with the Angels, Thaiss was sent to the Orem Owlz. Despite the pressure of a new environment, his prowess did not falter – within 15 games he scored .338 with two home runs and 12 RBIs. He was then promoted to the Burlington Bees, where he maintained a solid performance, hitting .276 with four home runs, 31 RBIs, and an OPS of .778 in 52 games. This propelled Thaiss to be ranked as the Angels’ top prospect by the end of 2016.

The following year, Thaiss shuffled unceasingly between Inland Empire 66ers and Mobile BayBears, and manifested a combined average of .274, with an impressive display of nine home runs and 73 RBIs across 133 games. In 2018, he played for both Mobile and the Salt Lake Bees, tacking on a solid .280/.335/.467 with 16 home runs and 76 RBIs from 125 games.

In 2019, the Angels swung the bat and brought Thaiss back to the major leagues. Making his debut on July 3 of the same year, he eyed a double in his first at-bat off Ariel Jurado of the Texas Rangers. Transitioning seamlessly from his usual position as catcher, Thaiss took on the roles of a first baseman and third baseman, demonstrating his versatility in the field. Over the season, he hit .211 with eight home runs in 53 appearances. His performance in 2020 was modest, where he went 3-for-21, resulting in one home run for a .143/.280/.286 batting line across eight games. In 2021, the Angels assigned Thaiss back to his initial role as the catcher, a position he continued to excel in.