07/12/2013 - Under Armour Showcase: Baseball Factory's Team One South
Matthew continues to show outstanding tools in his baseball play. He utilizes his quick / athletic feet well in his lateral movement, displaying range in the MIF and shows big play potential in his defensive play. Hands are soft / clean / sure as he makes all the plays. At the plate, he shows an athletic setup with balance. Hands are quick, generating outstanding bat speed through a solid line drive swing path. He shows a feel for the barrel and works to stay inside the ball, utilizing all fields with baseball jumping off the bat when centered. At the event, he was 1 for 3 with a 2B.
01/18/2013 - 2013 Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament
Rivera is a spark plug type player with great energy and feel for the game. In addition, he has tools - and the ability to use them. Defensively, his feet are active and he moved with quickness and fluidity. His hands were soft, his play on the ball clean, and his transfer quick. His arm stroke was loose and quick, and he showed the ability to make strong throws from multiple angles. At the plate, he hit from an athletic crouch position, and did a good job of loading his hands back and landing soft on a short stride. He maintained good balanced throughout his move, and used his lower body well to generate bat speed. His stroke was short to contact and he made hard contact frequently. He tended to get a bit uphill when got outside his ideal effort level, when he stayed under control and within himself he got extension through contact on a more level path. Overall, his combination of intangibles and physical ability is rare and exciting.
07/23/2012 - 2012 Team One Northeast Showcase
At Team One Northeast, Matthew displayed great footwork and clean hands, along with the ability to get rid of the ball in a timely manner. On double plays, he follows his feeds well and turns a quick double play. At the plate, he has an athletic setup and gets himself into a strong launch position. His tools at the plate should continue to improve as he learns to work downhill and throw the barrel through contact. As a 2014 graduate, Matthew has the opportunity to continue to develop his skills in preparation for the next level.
04/01/2012 - College PREP - Pittsburgh, PA
Rivera continues to show improvements in his baseball abilities, especially in his arm strength and defensive play. Feet are aggressive as he shows soft / sure hands that are presented out front. Backhand is solid and he is not afraid to use it. Hands and feet work well together as he shows smooth / sure actions. Throws display life, accuracy, and on line carry across the diamond. At the plate, Matthew has quick hands that work inside the ball as he utilizes all fields. Power numbers will continue to increase as he adds more overall body strength.
01/21/2012 - Accelerated Hitting Weekend (Commuter)
Matt showed a lot of athleticism over the weekend, and also displayed quick hands and feet. Matt tends to let his hands and arms get away from his body during the swing, causing his swing to become "armsy". This will take away from his power and consistency; he needs to focus on keeping his hands attached to his shoulder during the swing, and using his body to swing the bat rather than his arms. Matthew shows great usage of his lower half, he drives his back hip through the zone, finishing with is back foot "heel over toe", when he keeps his hands connected to his body he shows good power for his size. Matt also does a good job of hitting through the baseball and showing good extension through the baseball and finishing his swing high. The main thing that Matt needs to focus on is letting the baseball travel when he lets the baseball travel it will be easier for him to keep his hands connected to his body and stay behind the baseball.
12/17/2011 - Pirate City Christmas Camp and Tournament - Session 1
Matt is an athletic SS with quick twitch muscles that will graduate in 2014. Feet are active and aggressive as he attacks balls and plays through well, displaying soft / sure hands. He shows big play potential in the MIF. Hands / feet work well together as he gets rid of the baseball quickly with accuracy / carry on his throws. At the plate, Rivera shows an athletic setup with hands working inside the baseball, utilizing all fields. He is aggressive, looking to hit early in the count. Power numbers will continue to improve as he learns to load more and transfer weight properly through his lower half. Matt has a lot of potential and is a really nice defender that plays with a lot of energy.