Matt Antonelli

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Matt Antonelli

| image = Matt Antonelli 2010.jpg

| width = 250

| caption = Antonelli with the San Diego Padres in 2010

| position = Second baseman

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|4|8}}

| birth_place = Peabody, Massachusetts, U.S.

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = September 1

| debutyear = 2008

| debutteam = San Diego Padres

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 28

| finalyear = 2008

| finalteam = San Diego Padres

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .193

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 1

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 3

| teams =

San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2008}})

}}

Matthew Antonio Antonelli (born April 8, 1985) is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres in 2008. He is currently a baseball coach and host of a YouTube channel of baseball instructional videos and discussions about his time in the major leagues.

Early life

During his senior year at St. John's Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts, Antonelli was named the Massachusetts High School Player of the Year in football and hockey and runner-up in baseball, and was selected to the all-state team in hockey.{{cite web |last1=Antonelli |first1=Matt |title=Is My Wikipedia Page Correct? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQoAHtvlTCY&ab_channel=AntonelliBaseball |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/NQoAHtvlTCY |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=YouTube |date=May 5, 2018 |access-date=1 December 2020}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web |url=http://wakeforestsports.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/antonelli_matt00.html |title=Wake Forest University |access-date=2007-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831161457/http://wakeforestsports.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/antonelli_matt00.html |archive-date=2010-08-31 |url-status=dead }} He was drafted in the 19th round (571st overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/antonma01.shtml | title=Matt Antonelli Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More }} He did not sign and instead chose to play college baseball at Wake Forest, where he displayed good plate discipline, walking 57 times as a sophomore. He only struck out 38 times in 232 at-bats, giving him one of the best strikeout-to-walk ratios in the nation. In 2004 and 2005, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star in both seasons.{{cite web|url=http://capecodbaseball.org.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/2012website/archives/Current%20Year/All_Time_MLB_CCBL_Alumni.pdf |title=Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=September 25, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2004&T=Falmouth%20Commodores |title=2004 Falmouth Commodores |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |accessdate=September 23, 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2005&T=Falmouth%20Commodores |title=2005 Falmouth Commodores |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |accessdate=September 23, 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/asgnews/index.html?article_id=533 |title=West All-Star Roster: All-Star Game 2004 |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=May 6, 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/asgnews/index.html?article_id=501 |title=CCBL West All-Star Roster |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=May 6, 2020}}

Professional career

=San Diego Padres=

Antonelli was drafted as a third baseman by the San Diego Padres with the 17th pick in the first round of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web |url=http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060606&content_id=1491412&vkey=pr_sd&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd |title=San Diego Padres |access-date=2007-09-19 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303195911/http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060606&content_id=1491412&vkey=pr_sd&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd |url-status=dead }} In July 2007, Antonelli was named the best second base prospect in the minor leagues by Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.{{Cite web |last=Goldstein |first=Kevin |date=July 26, 2007 |title=Future Shock: Positional Rankings - Second Base |url=https://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/article/6500/future-shock-positional-rankings-second-base/ |access-date= |website=Baseball Prospectus}}

Image:Antonelli 02.jpg in 2008]]

In 2006, he hit 14 home runs in 82 games for High-A Lake Elsinore, before moving up to the AA San Antonio Missions to finish the season. In 534 at-bats between the two levels, Antonelli finished with a slash line of .304/.404/.491 with 21 home runs and 25 stolen bases along with a 94/83 K/BB ratio. He won the Texas League Championship with the Missions in 2007.

In 2008, Antonelli was called up to the major leagues for the San Diego Padres and on September 1, 2008, he promptly laced a single off Greg Maddux of the Los Angeles Dodgers for his first hit in the major leagues.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQuO2MLpJCs |title=Matt Antonelli's First MLB Hit |date=2009-11-23 |last=Matt Antonelli |access-date=2024-05-24 |via=YouTube}} He then went hitless in his next 20 at bats, but then got 7 hits in his next 13 at-bats with three walks, including his first home run, on September 15, off of Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Hirsh.{{Cite web |title=San Diego Padres vs Colorado Rockies Box Score: September 15, 2008 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/COL/COL200809150.shtml#:~:text=Matt%20Antonelli%20(1%2C%20off%20Jason%20Hirsh |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

During spring training in 2010, he suffered a hamate bone injury and then a broken wrist, requiring multiple surgeries. While the club kept him on the official roster he was unable to play, and was granted free agency at the end of the 2010 season. The hand injuries became a chronic issue throughout the rest of his career.

=Washington Nationals=

Antonelli signed as a minor league free agent with the Washington Nationals on December 17, 2010 and spent the season with the AA Harrisburg Senators and AAA Syracuse Chiefs. His wrist injury recurred with a handful of games remaining in the season and he left the team shortly after the conclusion of the season.

=Baltimore Orioles=

On November 21, 2011, Antonelli signed with the Baltimore Orioles. He was then added to the team's 40-man roster. On May 13, 2012, the Orioles designated him for assignment.{{cite web|title=Orioles Designate Matt Antonelli For Assignment|date=13 May 2012 |url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/05/orioles-designate-matt-antonelli-for-assignment.html|publisher=MLB Trade Rumors|access-date=19 May 2012}}

=New York Yankees=

On May 17, the New York Yankees claimed Antonelli off waivers from the Orioles.{{cite news|title=Yankees acquire infielder Matt Antonelli off waivers from Baltimore Orioles|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/yankees-acquire-infielder-matt-antonelli-off-waivers-from-baltimore-orioles/2012/05/17/gIQAXK6kWU_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=19 May 2012}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He was designated for assignment on July 1 and released on July 5. His wrist injury woes continued, preventing him from playing a significant amount of game time.

=Cleveland Indians=

Antonelli signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians in January 2013. He played through spring training, and was sent down afterwards to the AAA Columbus Clippers. Later in the season, the Indians informed Antonelli they were going to release him from the team. After receiving minor interest from independent baseball teams he retired on July 17 to take up coaching.

Post-playing career

After retiring, Antonelli received several calls from independent league teams.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=pC5DzjQYW7sRGkgN&t=685&v=ng0jwrnQkX8&feature=youtu.be |title=What Happens When You Get Released in MLB |date=2019-08-19 |last=Antonelli Baseball |access-date=2025-05-14 |via=YouTube}} However, he declined all of those offers due to his injury history and his belief he could not make it back to the Major Leagues, and decided to focus on a potential career of coaching. Antonelli has a YouTube channel, Antonelli Baseball, for which he makes baseball-related videos. He also has a MLB: The Show series on his channel where he plays the game's "Road to the Show" mode that gained popularity. The channel has more than 249,000 subscribers and over 105 million views as of May 2024.{{cite web |last1=YouTube |title=Antonelli Baseball |url=https://www.youtube.com/c/AntonelliBaseball/about |website=YouTube |publisher=Antonelli Baseball}} He also was an assistant baseball coach at Holy Cross and his alma mater Wake Forest. He is married to his wife, Laura.

References

External links

{{baseballstats|mlb=453327|espn=28953|br=a/antonma01|fangraphs=9343|brm=antone001mat}}

[http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Matt%20Antonelli&pos=2B&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=453327 Minorleaguebaseball.com profile]
{{Official website|https://www.antonellibaseball.com/}}
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgf9-zJ1kk7KYOu1y3YwIfw Antonelli Baseball] on YouTube

Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:Baseball players from Essex County, Massachusetts

Category:Major League Baseball second basemen

Category:San Diego Padres players

Category:Eugene Emeralds players

Category:Fort Wayne Wizards players

Category:Lake Elsinore Storm players

Category:San Antonio Missions players

Category:Portland Beavers players

Category:Arizona League Padres players

Category:Harrisburg Senators players