Matt Rudick, OF

B/T: L/L  Ht: 5’9  Wt: 170 LBS

Age: July 2, 1998 (23 years old)

Acquired: Mets 2021 13th round draft pick, San Diego State University (SDSU)

2021 Stats (FCL Mets): 303/.404/.447, / 2B, 3B, HR, 12 RBI, 6 SB

The first thing that jumps out at you about the modest-sized Matt Rudick, is his (dare I say it?) elite ability to make contact. I don’t have access to his swinging-strike% for his impressive career at SDSU, but his 9.7% strikeout rate across over 700 at-bats is hard to dress down.

While he did strikeout in just over 14% in his taste of professional baseball after signing, Matt Rudick’s bat finds the baseball far more often than it doesn’t.

Rudick’s offensive game is always going to tilt far in the hit over power direction, smallish and slender frame withstanding. But, Rudick is still able to get the bat head out in front at a positive attack angle and lift balls in the air to his pull-side, utilizing a modest leg kick to assist his weight transfer. The fact that he can still maintain such excellent barrel accuracy, assisted by his short levers, is a plus in his column.

Here's Matt Rudick with an RBI single to bring in Mike Jarvis, who led off the bottom of the ninth with a triple. New Mexico 9, Aztecs 5 with no outs. pic.twitter.com/CWhSSEp2Ek

— San Diego State Baseball (@AztecBaseball) April 2, 2021

Here’s the rub with Rudick’s path towards the big leagues: the offensive bar for left field. Right now, scouting reports suggest that Rudick has played a lot of leftfield because of fringe arm strength and speed for centerfield. The Mets did have him get half of his reps in centerfield in rookie ball, but unless the hit tool maxes out at at least plus, he’s going to need to be good defensively out in center in order to have a chance to play at the very highest level.

The Mets had some decent experience developing the speed tools of some of their minor leaguers (notably Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez) under the Mike Barwis training program. The Mets have moved on to more baseball-centric skill development as part of their core training program, but perhaps for a player like Rudick, who has the frame to suggest above average foot speed should be in the realm of possibility, a focus on this should be in play. If Rudick can develop above average range at an up-the-middle position, that seems to be the clearest path for his skillset to profile well as a bench big league outfielder.

Rudick will turn 24 years old next July, so it’s time for him to get a move-on. Both figuratively and perhaps, literally.