Who is Luis Matos? Giants top prospect called up after Mitch Haniger injury

The San Francisco Giants have called up Luis Matos in the wake of Mitch Haniger's right forearm fracture. Fans will not have to wait long to see the 21-year-old in action as he is slated to start on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

One of the top prospects in the Giants, Luis Matos has been dominating the minors this season. In 223 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A, Matos has produced a dazzling .350 batting average with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.

"After homering six times in his last six games, #SFGiants prospect Luis Matos will join the big league club in St. Louis, per @mi_guardado. Grades + more on the 21-year-old who has a 1.120 OPS at Triple-A this year" - @MLBPipeline

Matos is slated to bat second in his MLB, which should supply him with plenty of opportunities to make an impact immediately. His first taste of the MLB will come against Jordan Montgomery and the St. Louis Cardinals.

While there is palpable excitement around the call-up of Luis Matos, it does come under unfortunate circumstances. The move was made following Mitch Haniger breaking his right forearm during last night's game, which makes it a bittersweet moment.

"Mitch Haniger has left the game after being hit on the arm by a pitch" - @NBCSGiants

A look at Luis Matos' road to the MLB

The 21-year-old from Valera, Venezuela is currently ranked as the #4 prospect in the San Francisco Giants farm system. Matos comes from a rich baseball family, with several members playing professional baseball. Among those are his father Jose, and his uncle Malvin. Several of his cousins are also professional baseball players, including Tampa Bay Rays prospect Osleivis Basabe.

After impressing in several tournaments in Venezuela, Matos was signed by the San Francisco Giants for $725,000. After dominating in his minor league debut in 2019, the young outfielder was later named the Low-A West MVP in 2021.

His MLB trajectory was slowed after a difficult 2022 season that saw his batting average drop to a dismal .211. This poor performance could be tied to a quad injury early in the 2022 season. He has bounced back in a big way this season, earning his MLB promotion.

"Luis Matos with a (bomb) for his 10th of the year. It's his 6th homer in his last 6 games. Now batting .402 in AAA. Matos is solidifying himself as that elite tier prospect we'd thought he'd be in 2022. If you were out on Matos it's time to get back in" - @Prospect_Tilt

Now, after putting on a show in Triple-A this season, the San Francisco Giants outfielder will look to carry that momentum into Major League Baseball. If he is ready to excel in the MLB, he will immediately be given the shot against the St. Louis Cardinals.