Matthew Givin drafted to the Marlins
Matthew Givin of Castle Pines, a recent Rock Canyon High School graduate, was selected by the Marlins in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball draft
By Lisa Nicklanovich; courtesy photo
Many athletes dream of the moment their name is called in the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft; for Matthew Givin of Castle Pines, the dream became reality. Givin, who graduated from Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) just a few weeks ago, was selected by the Miami Marlins in the 20th round.
Givin, who is 6’3” and 180 pounds, was a self-professed late bloomer. He was an infielder first and a pitcher second. He focused more on his pitching his senior year at RCHS, increased his velocity, and came to love pitching in the spring before he graduated. “I love being involved in every pitch and find pitching empowering,” Givin said. The fact that Givin is a talented infielder, an ever-improving right-handed pitcher, and has a calm-under-pressure mentality, caught the attention of scouts.
There were in-home visits from major league baseball scouts, and Givin realized being drafted was a real possibility. Givin and his parents, Brian and Jean, sought council from a knowledgeable advisor who could help them navigate this new world. Givin, meanwhile, was in playoff season at RCHS and planning to attend Xavier University and begin a collegiate career as an infielder.
“Draft day was exciting and surreal,” Givin said. Brian had the MLB draft tracker up on a computer and they saw Givin’s name appear but didn’t actually hear the audio because of a delay and because they were screaming, yelling and high-fiving. Even though Givin had received a phone call from the Marlins confirming his interest, the thrill of actually being named in the draft “was a dream come true,” said Givin.
Givin said, “I am so thankful to my coaches and my entire family. My parents have supported me through many travel baseball programs and I feel like I’m paying them back. I was excited to play baseball with my brother Chris at Xavier, but I am also on cloud nine about this opportunity.”
Named 1st Team-All-State and a 2016 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American, Givin has the stats, but the added qualities of being a multi-position player, his intelligence and passion for the game, plus his work ethic and humility make him a player we will all want to root for.
Did you know?
In 2008, the Miami Marlins became the first team in MLB history whose four infielders all hit 25 home runs. The last time the Marlins won the World Series was in 2003, when they beat the New York Yankees.
