Matthew Batten

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Matthew Batten

|image = Matthew Batten (cropped).jpg

|caption = Batten with the El Paso Chihuahuas in 2022

|team = Atlanta Braves

|number =

|position = Infielder

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|6|22}}

|birth_place = Shelton, Connecticut, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = June 30

|debutyear = 2022

|debutteam = San Diego Padres

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2024 season

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .239

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 2

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 12

|teams =

San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2022}}–{{mlby|2024}})

}}

Matthew Albert Batten (born June 22, 1995) is an American professional baseball infielder in the Atlanta Braves organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres.

Early life

Batten was a member of the Shelton National Little League team that represented Shelton, Connecticut and the New England region at the 2008 Little League World Series.{{Cite web |last=League |first=Little |title=Major Leaguers Played in LLBWS |url=https://www.littleleague.org/who-we-are/alumni/major-leaguers-played-llbws/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Little League |language=en-US}}

Amateur career

Batten attended St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, Connecticut, and played college baseball at Quinnipiac University. During his senior season at Quinnipiac, he set the record for most hits in program history with 249, most stolen bases with 65, and also led the team with a .305 average.{{cite web | url=https://www.ctpost.com/sports/article/Shelton-s-Batten-becomes-Quinnipiac-s-11137220.php | title=Shelton's Batten becomes Quinnipiac's all-time hits leader | date=May 10, 2017 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.nhregister.com/colleges/article/College-roundup-Quinnipiac-s-Matthew-Batten-11315731.php | title=College roundup: Quinnipiac's Matthew Batten sets school career hits record | date=May 7, 2017 }} After his senior year, he was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 32nd round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.trumbulltimes.com/sports/high-school-sports/article/Baseball-St-Joseph-star-Matt-Batten-chosen-by-13931238.php | title=Baseball: St. Joseph star Matt Batten chosen by Padres | date=June 15, 2017 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.ctpost.com/sports/article/Batten-drafted-by-Padres-11221085.php | title=Batten drafted by Padres | work=Connecticut Post | date=June 15, 2017 | last1=Bonjour | first1=Doug }}

Professional career

=San Diego Padres=

Batten signed with the Padres and split his first professional season between the Arizona League Padres and Tri-City Dust Devils, batting .241 with one home run and twenty RBIs over 49 games.{{cite web | url=https://www.eastvillagetimes.com/matt-battens-adventurous-first-year-in-pro-ball/ | title=Batten's Adventerous First Year | East Village Times | date=June 30, 2018 }} In 2018, he played with the Lake Elsinore Storm, San Antonio Missions, and El Paso Chihuahuas with whom he hit .272 with two home runs, 22 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases over 78 games.{{cite web | url=https://www.techniquetigers.com/index.php/2020/06/01/minor-leagues-sheltons-matt-batten-keeps-battin-at-every-level/ | title=Minor Leagues: Shelton's Matt Batten keeps battin' at every level | Technique Tigers Baseball Academy }} He returned in 2019 to play two games with the Amarillo Sod Poodles and 109 games with El Paso, finishing the season batting .298 with six home runs, 48 RBIs, and twenty doubles over 111 games.{{cite web | url=https://www.trumbulltimes.com/sports/article/Padres-Matt-Batten-moving-up-MLB-ranks-14398139.php | title=Padres' Matt Batten moving up MLB ranks | date=August 29, 2019 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/sports/2019/05/29/el-paso-chihuahuas-baseball-matthew-batten-shines-various-roles/1240764001/ | title=El Paso Chihuahuas utility player just happy to help his team }}{{cite news | url=https://www.nhregister.com/sports/article/Shelton-Quinnipiac-product-Matt-Batten-hitting-13896759.php | title=Shelton, Quinnipiac product Matt Batten hitting .318 and "having the most fun I've had playing baseball" with Triple-A el Paso | newspaper=New Haven Register | date=May 26, 2019 | last1=Borges | first1=David }} After not playing a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season, he split the 2021 season between San Antonio and El Paso and slashed .293/.368/.382 with six home runs, 41 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases over 123 games. He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Javelinas after the season.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/padres-arizona-fall-league-overview-2021 | title=Gore looks to find his stride in AFL | website=MLB.com }} He opened the 2022 season with El Paso.{{cite web | url=https://www.eastvillagetimes.com/padres-down-on-the-farm-may-3-ruiz-2-hr-for-sa-batten-hr-for-ep-voit-begins-rehab-in-ep/ | title=San Diego Padres Down on the Farm report for May 3/ Padres | date=May 4, 2022 }}

On June 30, 2022, the Padres selected Batten's contract and promoted him to the major leagues; he made his MLB debut that night as a pinch runner versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.{{cite web | url=https://www.ctpost.com/sports/article/Shelton-native-St-Joseph-and-Quinnipiac-17278001.php | title=Shelton native, St. Joseph and Quinnipiac standout Matt Batten called up by Padres | work=Connecticut Post | date=July 2022 | last1=Ericson | first1=Scott }} On July 4, Batten recorded his first career hit, a pinch-hit single off of Ryan Borucki of the Seattle Mariners.{{Cite web|title=Batten Tallies First MLB Hit On Fourth Of July|url=https://gobobcats.com/news/2022/7/5/baseball-batten-tallies-first-mlb-hit-on-fourth-of-july.aspx|access-date=2023-05-15|website=gobobcats.com|date=5 July 2022 |language=en}} On August 5, Batten made his first career pitching appearance in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the outing, he recorded his first career strikeout as a pitcher, punching out Dodgers starter Tyler Anderson.{{Cite web |title=Matthew Batten takes the mound {{!}} 08/05/2022 |url=https://www.mlb.com/video/matthew-batten-takes-the-mound |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}

Batten was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Padres' Matthew Batten: Optioned to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/padres-matthew-batten-optioned-to-triple-a/amp/|access-date=2023-03-25|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} On July 4, 2023, Batten was recalled by the Padres,{{Cite web|title=Batten Recalled by the Padres|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/padres-matthew-batten-recalled-from-el-paso/|access-date=2023-07-08|website=cbssports.com|date=4 July 2023 |language=en}} after Nelson Cruz was designated for assignment. In his first at-bat of the 2023 season, he hit a 2-run homerun to left field on July 8 vs. LHP David Peterson of the New York Mets.{{Cite web |title=Mets @ Padres |url=https://stories.mlb.com/live/717436.html |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=stories.mlb.com |language=en}} In 43 games for San Diego, Batten hit .258/.355/.358 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI. He was again optioned to Triple–A El Paso to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Padres' Matthew Batten: Optioned to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/padres-matthew-batten-optioned-to-triple-a-906987/amp/|access-date=March 15, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} Batten appeared in one game for the Padres in 2024, and was designated for assignment on August 23.{{cite news |title=San Diego Padres reinstate Yu Darvish from restricted list |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40966857/san-diego-padres-reinstate-yu-darvish-restricted-list |access-date=August 24, 2024 |work=ESPN.com |date=August 23, 2024}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to El Paso on August 25.{{Cite web|title=Padres Call Up Lake Bachar For MLB Debut|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/padres-to-call-up-lake-bachar-for-mlb-debut.html|access-date=August 25, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=August 25, 2024 |language=en}} Batten elected free agency following the season on November 4.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2024/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2024|work=Baseball America|date=November 6, 2024|accessdate=November 6, 2024|first=Matt|last=Eddy}}