Jace Mataczynski grew up dreaming of playing college basketball, following in the footsteps of his mother, a former Division I player. While he still suits up for Hudson (Wis.) High School on the hardwood, his future now appears firmly rooted in baseball, where the prep shortstop has emerged as a projected early-round pick in July’s MLB draft.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound shortstop vaulted into the national spotlight last fall at the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida. The right-handed hitter drew heavy scouting attention and was one of the biggest risers at the event, cementing his status as a legitimate early-round draft prospect.
“I feel like I kind of made my mark there,” Mataczynski said. “I kind of blew up a little bit more. I’ve just never had so many eyes on me, and so many important people around me. It just led me to go out there and play my best. It was a great way to just ultimately put myself on the map a little bit more.”
Offensively, Mataczynski is a talented hitter with a quick, compact swing and a knack for squaring up the baseball. He hits from a wide stance with a toe tap, pairing an aggressive approach with a quality understanding of the strike zone. He shows feel for timing and consistently gets the barrel through the zone with authority. While his present profile is more hit-over-power, there is projection remaining in his frame, giving him the potential to grow into quality power as he continues to mature physically.
Defensively, Mataczynski stands out as a gifted runner and natural defender with the chance for plus tools in speed, fielding and arm strength. Scouts have been impressed with how easily he moves around the field, showing fluid actions and range that translate well to the middle infield. His lateral quickness, aided by his basketball background, allows him to cover ground and make plays to both sides.
Though his track record is more limited than some of his peers in the 2026 class, his athleticism and overall upside give him a legitimate chance to stick at shortstop long term.
“I feel like my athleticism plays a big role in my success at shortstop,” Mataczynski said. “I can get to balls due to my quickness and lateral movements. Then I have a pretty strong arm, so that also helps. It also helps a lot when I am playing shortstop.”
Mataczynski’s skill set and long-term projection have positioned him to have two strong options after high school. In addition to his rising status as a professional draft prospect, he is also a signee with Auburn, a program he said won him over with its coaching staff and culture.
With pro interest continuing to build, he could face a difficult decision this summer between beginning his professional career or heading to Auburn to continue his development in college.
“For me, it was definitely the coaching staff — Gabe Gross and Karl Nonemaker — just them having professional backgrounds in baseball definitely opened my eyes,” he said on Auburn. “When I went down there, I didn’t know anything about Auburn, but it was absolutely amazing. The coaches are just good people.”
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for 11 years. He has interviewed 613 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as an “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
