Matt Svanson #49

Graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Ill. in 2015 where he was Daily Herald All-Area honoree in baseball and All-Area, All-Conference and Most Improved Player in basketball...Was a two-sport athlete at Aurora (Ill.) University, playing basketball his freshman year before focusing on baseball for the rest of his career...Played in 11 basketball games his freshman year with 27 rebounds and nine points with four blocked shots...Played college baseball at Aurora (Ill.), compiling a 17-3 record with a 3.33 ERA over 40 appearances making 19 starts...Struck out 184 batters over 181 innings along with eight saves over a three-year career...While playing independent baseball for the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League, would stop by Busch Stadium on road trips to O'Fallon and Gateway and look through the gates thinking about playing for the Cardinals...His mother, Maggie, travels to wherever he is playing on Mother's Day and would add a game ball from his location...His step-father Dan is a union carpenter who worked on the Wrigley Field renovation project...Worked in a classic car shop operating forklifts, car lifts and floor jacks, while helping detail cars during the 2019 off-season between college baseball and independent league baseball...Volunteers for the local interfaith pantry in Aurora, helping pass out food and operating heavy machinery...Resides in Dundee, Ill.

2024

Pitched the entire season for Springfield (AA) making a career-high 53 appearances with 63.2 innings pitched and 59 strikeouts while compiling at 4-3 record with a 2.69 ERA...Led the Texas League with 27 saves in 27 opportunities, ranking second in all of Minor League Baseball...Led the Texas League with 53 appearances and was second in the Cardinals organization behind only Connor Thomas of Memphis (AAA) with 56...Ran off 17 consecutive scoreless appearances from June 29 through August 17, covered 19 innings allowing nine hits and five walks with 16 strikeouts while converting 12 saves...Held right-handed batters to a .247 BA (42-170, HR), while left-handed batters hit .342 (26-76, 3 HR)...Made 15 appearances of four outs or more with nine of those a season-high two innings.