Matt Mauck

Matthew Ryan Mauck

• Bats Left, Throws: Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 215 lb.
• School Louisiana State University
• High School Jasper (IN) High School

• Born February 12, 1979 in Evansville, IN USA

Minors BR page

Matt Mauck attended Jasper High School, the same school that produced Scott Rolen several years earlier, and followed in Rolen's footsteps by winning the Indiana Mr. Baseball Award. Originally, he had committed to play quarterback at Michigan State University, but he was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the sixth round of the 1997 amateur draft (one pick before Tim Hudson) and instead signed with them. He played four years in the Cubs organization, spending two summers with the AZL Cubs and two seasons with the Lansing Lugnuts.

Mauck hit .285/.386/.417 as a rookie for the AZL Cubs and stole 8 bases in 11 tries, but fielded only .778 with 22 errors in 36 games at 3B and 2 at 1B. He was still four errors shy of the AZL leader at 3B - Jeff Brooks. His second season, his offense fell (.240/.372/.376) while his glovework was sharper (.994 in 19 G at 1B, .948 in 16 at C; 12 PB; 83% opponent SB rate). With Lansing in 1999, Mauck hit only .221/.336/.359 with 100 strikeouts in 298 at-bats. He backed up Hee-seop Choi at 1B, Jeff Goldbach at C and David Kelton at 3B. In 2000, Matt fanned in 43 of 99 AB, hitting only .152/.232/.273, his OPS falling for the third straight year. He was Lansing's third-string catcher.

Overall, Mauck had produced at just a .228/.339/.362 rate in 215 games in the minors, striking out 234 times in 666 AB. He fielded .964 at catcher with 33 PB in 80 games and 15% of opposing baserunners caught stealing. He also fielded .975 at 1B and .785 at 3B.

After his stint in pro baseball, Mauck returned to college and played football at Louisiana State University. In his junior year, he led the school to the Sugar Bowl, and following that season, he decided to go pro and was chosen by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the NFL draft. He did not see any action with the Broncos that year but played in three games for the Tennessee Titans the following season. He completed 15 of 27 passes for 136 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception. He ran 7 times for 39 yards.

Related Sites

• FR page