Matt Thaiss

Matthew Kevin Thaiss

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 195 lbs.
• School University of Virginia
• High School Jackson Memorial High School
• Debut July 3, 2019

• Born May 6, 1995 in Jackson, NJ USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Catcher Matt Thaiss was the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 amateur draft, taken by the Los Angeles Angels out of the University of Virginia.

Thaiss was a catcher in college, but he was immediately put at first base in the minors. In 2019 he started playing third base for AAA Salt Lake Bees. By 2020, Thaiss had moved back to catcher, almost full time.

He made his major league debut with the Angels on July 3, 2019, only two days after the tragic death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. He went 1 for 3 with a double and a run scored in a 6-2 win over the Texas Rangers. He was replacing All-Star 2B Tommy La Stella, who had broken his leg a day earlier. On July 12th, in the Angels' emotional first home game since the death of Skaggs, he made a superb defensive play at third base, with a diving stop that robbed the Seattle Mariners' Mac Williamson of a base hit in the 6th inning, which made it possible for pitchers Taylor Cole and Felix Pena to combine on a no-hitter. Two days later, on July 14th, he hit the first homer of his major league career in the 8th inning off Roenis Elias of the Mariners, a three-run shot that broke a 3-3 tie and sent the Angels on their way to a 6-3 win. He continued his productive first month on July 28th when he hit a walk-off homer off [Mychal Givens]] of the Baltimore Orioles with one out in the 9th inning to give the Angels a 5-4 win; he had hit another homer earlier in the game.

Related Sites

• Matt Thaiss on mlb.com
• BR Minors page
• University of Virginia bio