On Nov. 19, the Boston Red Sox added pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins and outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to the 40-man roster to protect them from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
Boston's 40-man roster was full when the two prospects were protected, and two players had to be removed to accommodate them. Former top pitching prospect Bryan Mata was one of the casualties.
Mata signed with the Red Sox out of Venezuela in 2016 and posted three quality seasons in the lower levels of their minor league system. He clocked a 2.80 ERA in 61 innings in rookie ball in 2016 and a 3.74 ERA in 77 frames with Greenville in 2017. The following season, Mata was named to the All-Star Futures Game.
According to Baseball America, the righty ranked as a top pitching prospect in Boston's system in 2018-20. Unfortunately for Mata, his injury woes began just as he received national attention.
The 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he was added to the 40-man roster in November to avoid being taken by another club — his high-velocity fastball and intriguing pitch mix would've made him an ideal target. But every time Mata neared his debut, disaster struck.
Former top Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata could be a steal of a waiver claim, provided he can stay healthy
Spend that long in the Red Sox system - including two full years of big league service time - without pitching a single big league game. Still, if he can ever get healthy (and he’s “only” 25), his talent remains considerable.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) November 19, 2024
Mata missed the entire 2021 campaign and part of the 2022 slate after he underwent Tommy John surgery. He logged a 2.49 ERA over 83 innings across all four minor league levels after his return. He was limited to 27 innings in 2023 due to a teres major strain and he posted just 22.2 innings in 2024. The 25-year-old was expected to debut last season but strained his hamstring in spring training. He experienced a lat issue during his rehab assignment, and his most recent shot to break through to the majors was thwarted by injury again.
The Red Sox organization clearly saw something in Mata. He held a 40-man roster spot since late 2020 and used minor league options in each of the following years to stay off waivers, where the organization believed he'd be swiftly claimed. Four lost seasons later, he's been designated for assignment, and his blistering fastball will be subject to waivers for the taking.
Mata's many injuries have prevented Sox fans from seeing much of his stuff in recent years. But if the hype is still there — and Alex Cora believed it was before his most recent injury — Mata could be a steal of a waiver claim for another club. Based on his injury proneness and command issues, he could probably only make it as a reliever at this point, but his alluring pitch mix could be a big enough draw for another team.