MATTHEW HAGUE

8/20/85; '08 9th; Oklahoma State Univ.
R/R; 6-3, 225

Level
BA
OBP
SA
AB
2B
3B
HR
BB
K
SB
CS
2005 NCAA
.419
.455
.710
124
12
0
8
7
14
2
2
2006 NCAA
.381
.447
.544
226
17
1
6
30
38
8
0
2007 NCAA
.353
.446
.606
221
15
1
13
34
28
3
5
2008 NCAA
.360
.442
.592
250
18
2
12
35
27
1
1
2008 A
.321
.384
.470
215
14
0
6
20
28
1
0
2008 A-
.333
.400
.444
27
3
0
0
3
5
0
0

Hague spent his first three collegiate years at Washington, was drafted 11th by the Indians in 2007, then transferred to Oklahoma State.  He's also played the outfield and Baseball America believes he'd fit better in RF; in other words, his bat needs to carry him.  He's consistently shown good power and plate discipline and hit well in the wood bat Cape Cod League.  The Pirates loaded up in the 2008 draft on players for the left side of the infield, so Hague could move somewhere else, although they announced him as a thirdbaseman.  As college seniors generally do, Hague signed quickly and went to State College, but didn't stay there long.  The Pirates loaded up in the 2008 draft on thirdbasemen and shortstops, and one of the latter, Chase D'Arnaud, played more third than short in college.  Once D'Arnaud and Jordy Mercer signed, State College was overloaded on the left side of the infield.  The Pirates relieved the congestion by promoting Hague, who was off to a good start, and Mercer to Hickory.  In a strange coincidence, Hickory's thirdbaseman, Bobby Spain—who was also off to a good start—went out for the season with a broken wrist at about the same time.  Hague got off to a very fast start at Hickory.  He didn't maintain it, but his hitting remained solid the rest of the year.  It was mainly his power that dropped off, as he hit all but one of his HRs in the first couple weeks.  His plate discipline was good, as it had been in college.  Splits from half a season don't mean a great deal, but for what it's worth he posted an OPS that was 240 points higher against RHPs than LHPs.  Like Spain, Hague struggled in the field, committing 14 errors and recording an unsightly .891 fielding percentage.  It would not enhance his chances to move to 1B.  Hague should be the regular 3B for Lynchburg in 2009, although it's possible the Pirates could employ some sort of rotation between him and Spain involving 3B, 1B and/or DH.

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