Matt LaPorta: Worth the Wait

April 25, 2008

Matt LaPorta is finally where he wanted to be.

A 6-foot-2, 210-pounder out of Port Charlotte, Fla., LaPorta had every intention of signing a professional contract following his stay at Charlotte High School. And in the summer of 2003, the Chicago Cubs gave him the chance to do just that, drafting LaPorta in the 14th round of the amateur draft.

But Matt LaPorta's journey to the professional ranks would be far more complicated than that.

LaPorta chose not to sign with Chicago, instead honoring his commitment to the University of Florida.

“I really wanted to sign," LaPorta said. "It took a while for me — I did a lot of research, asking around, coaches, family. It’s a thing where I just kind of sat back and said, ‘Well, God, you’ve brought me here. What do you want me to do now?’ If felt like going to school would be the best thing.”

Given the first two years of his collegiate experience as evidence, it looked like LaPorta heading to Gainsville was certainly the best thing for him. LaPorta posted a 1.017 OPS in his first year, earning Freshman All-American honors. LaPorta then enjoyed another stellar season as a sophomore, jacking 26 homers en route to a 1.136 OPS showing, setting himself up to be a early first-round selection in the 2006 Draft.

But when the clock finally struck time for LaPorta's junior season, it struck hard.

LaPorta mired in a season-long slump in 2006, thanks largely to a strained oblique muscle. Coping with the injury, LaPorta saw his .328/.438/.698 vital as a sophomore fall to .259/.410/.538 as a junior, and his once soaring draft stock plummeted because of it.

“The first two years were amazing. I learned so much — got so much out of them," LaPorta said. "I always set high goals for myself — I wanted to be the Golden Spikes winner. When I got hurt, I didn’t know if I would be able to achieve those goals. But when I came back I was like, ‘I’m still going to try.’ And that’s where I really got in trouble. I just tried to reach those goals instead of just letting everything happen.”

Following the disappointing campaign, LaPorta was once again selected in the 14th round, this time by the Boston Red Sox. And once again, he decided to forgo the start of his professional baseball career to play for the Gators.

“Everybody thought I was crazy for going back to school," LaPorta said. "‘Why are you going back to school? You’re nuts. You’re going to sign for like $100,000 — you’re not going to get anything.’ I wasn’t worried about the money. I was trying to get better — get better in all aspects of my life. I was able to get my degree. If you’re going to make it to the majors, you’re going to make it to the majors. Whether you sign for $1,000 or $1,000,000.”

LaPorta shined as a senior, putting up an imposing .402/.582/.817 line to solidify the first-round status that he had worked so hard to rebuild. There was only one way for the slugger to describe his stunning season:

“It was honestly just amazing," LaPorta said.

With his behemoth senior season in the books, LaPorta now had no choice — whether he wanted to or not, he was now leaving the University of Florida. But he wasn't leaving to sign for $1,000 or even $1,000,000; he was signing for a cool $2,000,000, courtesy of the Milwaukee Brewers, who tabbed him with the No. 7 overall pick in June.

And now, after all this, Matt LaPorta is exactly where he wanted to be.

Playing with Double-A Huntsville, LaPorta is off to a .275/.366/.536 start in 83 plate appearances this season. The left fielder wasted little time getting adjusted to his high-minors environment, blasting a grand slam in his Double-A debut.

“He's such a good hitter," Diamondbacks pitching prospect Max Scherzer said. "I have so much respect for him. I played with him on Team USA, and I saw him do things that no other hitter has done."

With his journey to the professional ranks finally complete, LaPorta says his unexpected ride has been worth the wait.

“It’s really been a roller coaster ride, but it’s been a fun one," LaPorta said. "[I had] a couple hiccups here and there, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Everything has worked out better than I really could have imagined it.”

Adam Loberstein can be reached at aloberstein@projectprospect.com.