JJ Matijevic sent a pitch rocketing toward the wall in right-center field. The Arizona Wildcats infielder cruised into second base with a stand-up double.
The UA was scrimmaging at Hi Corbett Field, so many faces were new, but this was a familiar sight. It’s no secret that Matijevic can rake.
“The bat speed, the power, the way the ball jumps off his bat is not normal,” Arizona coach Jay Johnson said. “You don’t see that in college very often.”
An important but overlooked member of the 2016 national runners-up, Matijevic is poised for a breakout junior season. It isn’t a matter of if but where.
Matijevic began last season as the Wildcats’ regular, or at least semi-regular, second baseman. Johnson envisioned the left-handed hitter as a potential Chase Utley.
But Matijevic’s defense wasn’t quite where it needed to be. Johnson determined that Arizona’s best lineup featured Cody Ramer at second and Louis Boyd at shortstop. Matijevic shifted to first base for several games. He landed at designated hitter.
Neither the player nor his coach viewed the change, which became permanent by late May, as a demotion.
“Not at all,” Matijevic said. “I was still playing. Ramer had an awesome season. Boyd was great at short. There was nowhere for me there. I was just doing what I had to do to help this team. Whether it was at first, second or DH, that’s what I had to do.”
With Ramer now playing in the minor leagues, Matijevic is getting another crack at second base. He’s attacking the opportunity with typical determination.
Matijevic is taking about 200 groundballs a day. He is striving to become quicker, smoother, more reliable. Johnson said Matijevic’s footwork and throwing have improved. Like the rest of the team, he is much further along at this point in fall practice than a year ago.
“Regardless of how it goes in his development and how it materializes for our team,” Johnson said, “I think those reps are going to make him a better baseball player and better infielder, whether he stays at second or moves back to first.”
There’s no question that Matijevic possesses the requisite athleticism to play second. A prep shortstop, Matijevic played middle linebacker as a freshman at Norwin High in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. He also played shooting guard for the basketball team and is an avid golfer, carding a 76 earlier this year.
Baseball always was Matijevic’s first love, though. His mother, Erin, is a big Boston Red Sox fan, so her son became one too (despite growing up in Pittsburgh Pirates country).
Matijevic faced a difficult choice when the Red Sox selected him in the 22nd round of the 2014 MLB draft. He already had committed to Arizona.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made,” Matijevic said. “I was a diehard Red Sox fan. To be drafted by them was an honor. But I knew I had to come here and get better.”
He has. Matijevic batted .238 as a freshman, mostly playing first base. He hit .287 last season with four home runs and 37 RBIs.
Matijevic’s Cape Cod League numbers better illustrate his growth as a hitter. Matijevic batted .333 in 2015 but had 25 strikeouts and only five walks. This past summer he hit .376 with more walks (12) than strikeouts (10).
Matijevic struck out eight times and walked only three times in 30 postseason at-bats — but had three home runs and 10 RBIs.
What impressed Johnson even more about Matijevic — and many of his teammates — was how quickly he jumped into summer ball. The Wildcats played in the rain-delayed College World Series championship game on June 30. Matijevic played his first game for the Falmouth Commodores on July 4. What does that say about him?
“It says that he is a perfect fit for our program,” Johnson said. “We have a saying that you can’t like baseball and play at Arizona; you have to love baseball.”
Catcher Cesar Salazar, Matijevic’s road roommate last season, said the two constantly would talk about the game — “breaking it down, how are we going to attack their pitchers.” Matijevic’s passion for baseball even extends into the work required to be good at it.
“He wants to be here all the time,” Johnson said. “He was hitting here at 9 o’clock the other night when I was in the office. That example is great.”
If Matijevic doesn’t become a slick-fielding second baseman in 2017, it won’t be for lack of trying.
Inside pitch
- Catcher Ryan Haug is being brought along slowly because of a back injury similar to the one that shelved him for part of last season. The goal is to have Haug “at peak health come the season,” Johnson said.
- Johnson said Arizona’s freshman class has exceeded expectations thus far. “I think it gives us a good foundation,” he said. “When you’re looking at the long-term scope of the program, there’s some real pieces. If they continue to develop, we can kind of build around them. At a place like this, where it’s so competitive in terms of who we’re recruiting against and who we’re competing against, you have to have that.”
- The Wildcats will practice and scrimmage through Nov. 20. They open the season at home against Eastern Kentucky on Feb. 17.
