Matthew Liberatore


Matthew Joseph Liberatore is an American professional baseball pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.

Career

Amateur

Liberatore graduated from Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale, Arizona. In July 2017, he played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game and was named the game's MVP after throwing three scoreless innings. Later in the summer, he played for the USA Baseball 18U National Team. As a senior at Mountain Ridge in 2018, he posted an 8-1 record with a 0.93 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 60.1 innings and was named Arizona's Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year.
Liberatore committed to the University of Arizona to play college baseball.

Professional

Tampa Bay Rays

Liberatore was selected in the first round, with the 16th overall selection, by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2018 MLB draft and signed with the team for a $3.5 million signing bonus. He was assigned to the Gulf Coast Rays of the Gulf Coast League. After posting a 0.98 ERA in eight starts, Liberatore was promoted to the Princeton Rays of the Appalachian League. He pitched in one game for Princeton to end his first professional season. Liberatore began the 2019 season in extended spring training before he was assigned to the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Class A Midwest League on May 15, with whom he spent the remainder of the year. Over 16 games, Liberatore went 6-2 with a 3.10 ERA, striking out 76 batters over innings.

St. Louis Cardinals

On January 9, 2020, Liberatore was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for José Martínez, Randy Arozarena, and the Cardinals’ Competitive Balance Round A Draft Pick.

Personal

Liberatore has been friends with fellow 2018 first round pick, Nolan Gorman, since they were five.