Prospect Spotlight: Mateo Gil

You might be wondering how it feels to be traded for one of the premier players in baseball, and also to play on a pro team managed by your Dad. We could ask Mateo Gil, who has done both. Gil, along with four others, recently moved to the Colorado Rockies in the Nolan Arenado deal. The 20 year-old shortstop is now the Rockies #22 prospect and ranked #1 at his position.

The California native was a 2018, 3rd round amateur pick for the St. Louis Cardinals out of Timber Creek High School in Ft. Worth, Texas. He is now headed to the Pacific Northwest, with the Spokane Indians (Adv-A, West.) Gil is the son of former Major Leaguer Benji Gil, a 1991 1st round pick by the Texas Rangers, now manager of the Tomateros de Culiacan in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. 

Mateo began his pro career at age 17, with the Gulf Coast League (Rookie) Cardinals, where he hit .251/.340 in 45 games. The following season saw him play two games with the Palm Beach Cardinals (Adv.-A, Florida State League) before spending the rest of the season at Johnson City, the Cardinals full season Rookie Advanced affiliate in the Appalachian League. Gil showed some pop in the Appy League, hitting 7 home runs, batting .270 in 51 games. 

Mateo spent the past two winters playing for his Dad in Mexico - surely a memorable time for father and son. How many get to do that? In Mexico, Gil hit .308 in 6 games the first winter, dipping to .186 in 16 games this past year. 

This season, Gil has the benefit of two years of pro ball and the coaching of his Dad - a great way to launch the rest of a baseball career.

2023 update: Gil is now with the AAA Syracuse Mets after the New York Mets picked him in the 2022 minor league Rule 5 draft.

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