Wagner Mateo Assigned to Osprey

The Arizona Diamondbacks have assigned first baseman Wagner Mateo to the Missoula Osprey from the Hillsboro Hops (Short Season A/Northwest League). He's expected to join the O's tonight for the opener of their Pioneer League North Division series at Great Falls.

Mateo came to proffessional baseball as a highly-touted prospect. On July 2, 2009, at age 16, he signed a $3.1 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals as an international free agent. The Cardinals voided the contract on September 22, 2009, citing concerns over Mateo's vision. The Diamondbacks inked Mateo to an estimated $512,000 deal on May 17, 2010 and assigned him to their team in the Dominican Summer League.

Mateo hit .257 with four home runs and 47 RBI in 67 games the DSL in 2010, slugging .401. The D-backs promoted him to the Arizona League the following year, where he slugged six home runs in 54 games. The 20-year old from Santo Domingo, DR split last year between Yakima (Short Season A/Northwest League) and Advanced Class A Visalia (California League), hitting .263 in ten games with the Rawhide. Mateo played nine games with the Hillsboro Hops this season (NWL) before his reassignment to the Osprey.

In an article by Ben Badler for Baseball America, published on September 22, 2009, Jeff Luhnow, then the Cardinals' vice president of amateur scouting and player development, "said the contract being voided had nothing to do with any problems with Mateo's age or identity. 'Wagner probably had the cleanest investigation that we've ever come across,' Luhnow said. 'There's a lot of good feelings on this player. We still believe he's a very talented young man and has a bright future in this game ahead of him if these medical issues can be resolved.'" Luhnow is now the General Manager of the Houston Astros.

Baseball America's scouting reports on Mateo say "the ball screams off his bat … (he) has the raw power to be a middle-of-the-order hitter, hitting balls 400-plus feet to the opposite field at times."

The Osprey play at Great Falls through Friday, June 28th. The O's return home to host the Helena Brewers in the opener of a three-game series on Saturday, June 29, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm. Tickets are available at the MSO Hub Box Office at 140 North Higgins in downtown Missoula, over the phone at (406) 543-3300 and online at missoulaosprey.com.