Shelton’s Batten having a blast at Triple-A
Two years ago, Matt Batten was still honing his craft at Quinnipiac Baseball Field — a venue no one will confuse with a majorleague park.
Now, Batten is one of the very best hitters in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, one step away from the big leagues — “The Show.”
It’s been a pretty quick climb for the Shelton product, who’s taken it all in stride.
“I don’t really overthink it,” the soft-spoken Batten said by phone last week. “I just take it a day at a time, try to take advantage of any opportunity that’s given.”
“Have bat, will travel” pretty much defines Batten’s baseball career to this point. He finished his fouryear career at Quinnipiac as the program’s all-time hits leader (249). Selected by San Diego in the 32nd round of the 2017 MLB draft, he hit a solid .263 in rookie ball. In his first full season in the minors last year, Batten hit .341 in 13 games at High-A Lake Elsinore and wound up hitting .273 in three different stops (including a brief, four-day stint at Triple-A).
He began this season with Double-A Amarillo, but after just four games, was promoted to Triple-A El Paso, where he was hitting a robust .318 with 10 doubles entering this weekend.
“I feel really comfortable in the box right now,” he said. “Everything’s kind of clicking, I’m working, making sure I know what I’m focusing on every time. I feel like I’m putting some really good at-bats together.”
The Pacific Coast League, of course, is a notorious hitters’ league. In fact, Batten currently ranks just 22nd in the league in hitting. There are currently 36 players in the PCL hitting .300 or better.
But that shouldn’t take too much away from Batten’s hot start.
“We still have to hit the ball hard, we still have to find holes,” he pointed out. “There’s a lot that goes into it. Obviously, the ball flies some places. But I think it’s pretty fair.”
At Quinnipiac, Batten played all but the first six games of his collegiate career at shortstop. But he’s transitioned, from mostly second base his first two seasons in the minors to mostly the corner spots, first and third base, this season. And he’d like to diversify himself defensively even more, hopefully getting some reps in the outfield at some point.
“It’s actually going pretty smoothly, but it’s challenging,” he noted. “There’s different angles, different views of the hitter, different reads and stuff. But, it’s been going pretty well. I’m just making sure I get my reps there every day. That way, I’m ready for the game. It’s definitely different, but hasn’t been too difficult.”
Indeed, the entire Triple-A experience has been an eye-opening experience for Batten, who’ll turn 24 in a few weeks.
“You start flying, no more bus trips,” he noted. “The whole experience is different. It’s almost a little bit of a big-league experience. So, that’s been really, really enjoyable.”
“Honestly,” he added, “this is the most fun I’ve had playing baseball.”
BIG LEAGUE DREAMS
That’s saying something, because Batten has already derived a lot of enjoyment out of the sport. He was the starting shortstop for the Shelton National team that advanced to the 2008 Little League World Series.
“It’s definitely a fond memory for me,” he said. “Every time that time of year comes around, I see it on TV, I definitely think back to my time there.”
After four strong years at St. Joseph High, Batten fashioned a record-breaking career at Quinnipiac, not only in hits but stolen bases (65) and runs scored (139). He once had a 25game hitting streak for the Bobcats.
But he doesn’t want to be defined by his past.
“I definitely hope there’s more highlights to come,” Batten said. “Obviously, I enjoyed that time (with Shelton National), but there’s a lot more that I want to accomplish in this game than Little League stuff.”
Batten is now one step — albeit a big one — from the major leagues. And don’t think that isn’t on his mind.
“Oh, for sure, I think about it every day,” he confessed. “Every day, you try to prove why you can do it. That’s how I look at things. I understand what I need to work on what I need to work on to get there, to hopefully be a consistent player up there if I get my opportunity. It’s something that motivates me, it’s something I enjoy thinking about. I don’t get nervous about it, I just embrace it and use it as a challenge.”
In fact, Batten has already had a small taste of the big-league experience. He traveled with the Padres to Seattle for their two exhibition games with the Mariners at the end of spring training. Batten played shortstop the final two innings of the second game, but didn’t get to bat.
Still, it was a valuable experience, watching how superstars like Manny Machado and pitcher Chris Paddack, Batten’s friend and former teammate in High-A and Double-A who is an early frontrunner for N.L. Rookie of the Year, go about their business.
“Watching the defensive work pregame that Machado does, the intensity of it, how he goes about it, and watching all the guys, how they handle themselves, was really cool,” Batten reported.
One of these days, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, Matt Batten would like to join them as teammates on a more permanent basis. He’s having the most fun he’s ever getting knocks and playing ball at Triple-A right now. Safe to say, “The Show” would be even more fun.
EXTRA BASES
The season began with bad news for a host of locals. Branford’s Mike Olt, the former UConn star with parts of three major-league seasons under his belt, was released by Minnesota — as was ex-UConn hurler Anthony Marzi of Berlin.
Former UConn infielder L.J. Mazzilli of Greenwich, son of former Mets star Lee Mazzilli, was released by the Yankees. Olt and Mazzilli are now teammates on the independent Long Island Ducks, while Marzi is pitching for the New Britain Bees.
Ex-CCSU standout J.P. Sportman was let go by Oakland, while Tyler Olander, the two-time UConn men’s basketball national champion who was giving baseball a shot, was released by Toronto.
Guilford’s Craig Schlitter, who pitched for the Yard Goats last season, was put on the voluntarily retired list. And more recently, Washington Depot/Sacred Heart product was released after one start with Triple-A Reno.
Here’s where players with Connecticut ties are currently playing:
Triple-A: Zack Short (Sacred Heart), Iowa (Cubs); John Andreoli (UConn), Rochester (Twins); Matt Batten (Shelton/Quinnipiac), El Paso (Padres); Thomas Jankins (Quinnipiac), San Antonio (Brewers).
Double-A: David Speer (Westport), Akron (Indians); Aaron Civale (East Windsor), Akron (Indians); Anthony Kay (UConn), Binghamton (Mets); Nolan Long (New London), Tulsa (Dodgers); Joe Zanghi (Milford), Binghamton (Mets); P.J. Higgins (Walllingford), Tennessee (Cubs); Max McDowell (UConn), Biloxi (Brewers); Mike Gibbons (Simsbury), Binghamton (Mets).
High-A: Joe Kuzia (Seymour), Down East (Rangers); Thomas Milone (Monroe), Charlotte (Rays); Willy Yahn (Torrington/UConn), Frederick (Orioles); Jack Sundberg (Mansfield/UConn), Potomac (Nationals); Jason Foley (Sacred Heart), Lakeland (Tigers); Wills Montgomerie (UConn), Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers); John Russell (UConn), San Jose (Giants); Ryan Costello (CCSU), Fort Myers (Twins); Kyle Wilcox (Newtown), Modesto (Mariners); J.T. Hintzen (Greenwich), Carolina (Brewers).
Class-A: Robbie Hitt (Quinnipiac), Wisconsin (Brewers); Tim Cate (Manchester/UConn), Hagerstown (Nationals); Zac Susi (Southington), Greensboro (Pirates); Jack Patterson (Suffield), South Bend (Cubs).
Several other players, including Waterford’s Mike Burrows and New Haven’s Dean Lockery, will likely be assigned to rookie-level or short-season Class-A teams in the coming weeks. And, of course, the new round of draftees after the MLB Draft June 3-5 will also be assigned to various teams in the coming month.