By DZ, with additional reporting by Gabriel Fidler. Filed Sept. 23, 2024.
The season ended with only three Africans in major league organisations, but two of those have made particular marks over the course of the 2024 campaign. The Astros’ Tayler Scott hit a bump at the start of September due to an injury, but his contributions to Houston’s playoff charge suggest he is one of the most underrated relievers in MLB. Should his health permit, the South African southpaw should have another chance to play his part in October, as the ‘Stros have clinched the division. Meanwhile, at the other end of the developmental spectrum, the Pirates’ David Matoma jumped onto the club’s top prospects lists with an impressive effort in rookie ball that put the Ugandan pitcher in contention to move to full-season ball in 2025.
Key
Name (age*), organization, country, team.
*Age is as of Sept 1, 2024 (playing age this season).
Team Prospect Rankings: BA (Baseball America): #; FG (Fangraphs): #; MLB (MLB.com): #.
MLB (1)
Tayler Scott (32), Houston Astros. South Africa.
Scott ended the regular season on the injured list with a strain of the spine. His September numbers (four runs on nine hits and five walks in 5.2 innings) do not match the rest of his breakout season. Scott is eligible to pitch in the playoffs if he can return to health, and his overall statistics suggest the southpaw would be under strong consideration if he is ready to return in time. In 68.2 innings, Scott has allowed only 45 hits, sending down 71 on strikes and issuing 35 walks. He has also induced groundballs on almost half the balls in play against him, a well above-average total. In sum, he has a 2.23 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP, winning seven games and recording nine holds. According to Fangraphs, his WAR total of 1.7 is tied (with Raisel Iglesias and Ryan Walker) for No. 12 among all major league relievers.
Rookie League, U.S. Complex Leagues (1)
David Matoma (18), Pittsburgh Pirates. Uganda. FCL Pirates. BA: Not listed; FG: 15; MLB: Not listed.
Matoma pitched 22 innings with the Pirates’ Florida rookie league team, allowing a run in just two of his 15 games. He missed a bit over three weeks in the middle of the summer, but he returned with four shutout appearances in July that included two hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. For the season, Matoma had a 0.82 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP, two holds, and three saves. He struck out 28 and walked nine. Had the right-hander pitched enough to meet the minimum amount for statistical leaders, his ERA would have been tops among all complex-league pitchers, with his WHIP second-best.
Rookie League, Dominican Complex Leagues (1)
Allan Ajoti (18), Los Angeles Dodgers. Uganda. DSL Dodgers Mega.
Ajoti was placed on the active roster on July 31 and played in eight games before the season concluded. He collected three hits, including a double, in his abbreviated debut season, with three walks and three strikeouts.
Read previous posts in this year’s series:
April [link].
June [link].
Mid-July [link].
August [link].