| Matt Drews | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1974-08-29)August 29, 1974 (age 50) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
Matthew Ross Drews (born August 29, 1974) is an American formerminor league baseballpitcher.
Drews played high school baseball atSarasota High School, where he had a 10-2win–loss record with a 1.27earned run average (ERA) his senior high year, with 125strikeouts in 88innings pitched.[1] He signed aletter of intent with theUniversity of Texas at Austin.[2]
Drews was considered byBaseball America to be the top high school pitcher available in the1993 Major League Baseball Draft.[1] The Yankees selected Drews in the first round, thirteenth overall. He signed late, for a $620,000 bonus, and did not play for the Yankees system that year.
Assigned to theOneonta Yankees in 1994, Drews went 7-6 with a 2.10 ERA, walked 19 and struck out 69 in 90 frames. Drews led theNew York–Penn League in ERA and was selected as the 2nd-best prospect in the league by managers.[citation needed] With theTampa Yankees in 1995, Drews won 15 of 22 decisions and posted a 2.27 ERA. He led the league in wins, innings (182) and starts (28), was second in strikeouts (140) and third in ERA. Managers again picked him as the #2 prospect (behindScott Rolen). He made the Florida State League All-Star team as one of the top two right-handed pitchers;Shane Bowers was the other.[citation needed]
Rated byBaseball America as the Yankees' #3 prospect (afterRubén Rivera andDerek Jeter) entering 1996 and 12th in all of baseball, Drews went 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA for theNorwich Navigators, 0-4 with an 8.41 for theColumbus Clippers and 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA for Tampa. He walked 72 and struck out 56 in 84 innings. He was traded to theDetroit Tigers along withRubén Sierra forCecil Fielder.[3] In Detroit's system, he went 0-4 with a 4.35 ERA for theJacksonville Suns to complete a 1-14 season.
In 1997, Drews (picked as the #9 Tigers prospect by BA entering the year) was 8-11, 5.49 for Jacksonville and 0-2, 6.60 for the Toledo Mud Hens. The former control specialist continued to walk many batters, issuing 14 free passes in 15 innings with Toledo. He was drafted by theArizona Diamondbacks in the second round of the1997 expansion draft but sent back to the Tigers in a deal forTravis Fryman.[citation needed] In 1998, Drews was 5-17 with a 6.57 ERA for Toledo, allowing over 250 baserunners in under 150 innings. He managed to avoid leading the International League in losses, as teammate Mike Drumright dropped 19 decisions, though Drews did lead in hit batsmen (16).
Drews went 2-14 with an 8.27 ERA for Toledo in 1999, with a WHIP of 1.93. He led the IL in losses, runs allowed (136), earned runs allowed (125) and walks (91). With the 2000Durham Bulls, Drews allowed 4 runs, 4 walks and no hits in two-thirds of an inning. Overall, the former 1st-round draft pick went 38-71 in his pro career, 16-58 after his first two years.
Drews is the grandson of former major leaguerKarl Drews.[1] Drews has two biological sons and an adopted daughter, named August, Eli, and Sophia.[4]
