Even though he’s been there a short time, Matt holds two current Timber Rattler records: At just 19 years old, he is the youngest player on the team by a full 5 months; He is probably the richest Timber Rattler as well.  With a record $2.3 million signing bonus, a remarkable deal for a 3rd Round draft choice, he can spring for a round of cheeseburgers down at the DQ for his more humbly-paid teammates after the game.

The Mariners first contacted Matt just 1 day prior to the June 2004 MLB First-Year Player Draft. The team lacked 1st and 2nd round draft picks, but they used their 3rd Round pick to snap up Tuiasosopo. Unfortunately mega-signing bonuses can be both a blessing and a curse: There is a lot of pressure to over-perform to justify seven figure deals when there are many talented players signed for far less.

Matt was assigned to the Arizona League Mariners, a Rookie club, after he signed in 2004. He immediately proved the wisdom of the signing, destroying the competition in the Rookie league with a .412 average and a power-proving .721 slugging percentage in 68 at-bats. He had 5 doubles, 2 triples, and 4 home runs for 11 of his 28 hits. He walked 13 times and struck out only 14, which would indicate that he exercised good reads and patience with the usually sloppy rookie pitching.

He was promoted to the Everett AquaSox in the Northwest League (NWL) after 20 games in Arizona. He had 106 at-bats in 30 games with the Sox. His average dropped to a more humbled .255 with a .415 slugging percentage, preventing him from having to pinch himself to see if he was still mortal.

In 2005, Matt T. was assigned to the Class A Midwest League's Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, a great launching point for a particularly young draftee.

While his work with the T-Rattlers is very promising, it’s not screaming phenom just yet.

With 375 at-bats under his belt. he's a comfy .285, his slugging percentage is  down to .395 from .421 when we spot checked it at the end of July. That’s 6th overall on his team in both departments.  Still, his team is doing well. 

Multi-million dollar signing bonuses are usually the domain of the power hitters, or pitchers who have hurricanes named after them.

Tuiasosopo has only generated 6 dingers in 6 to the plate to date, a .016 Home Run Percentage.  Contrast that to club leader Thomas Hubbard’s .048 HRP on 15 dingers in fewer games played.

Tuiasosopo has been a good contact hitter, driving in 26 RBIs. He ranks 16th overall in the league in batting.

There is an obvious question that follows any big-dollar deal for a guy who puts up good numbers, not great, along with a lot of players who sign for millions less: What makes Matt T worth that kind of jack?

Football, and a good agent.  Matt T is a two-sport talent from a pro-sports savvy family.

On February 4th, 2004, Tuiasosopo signed a National Letter of Intent to play football for the University of Washington Huskies, four months before the baseball draft.

“Consensus is that Tuiasosopo is the No. 1 recruit in Washington, also one of the West Coast’s best,” columnist Bill Woten proclaimed in the King County Journal, a local fishwrap.

Tom Lemming, a national recruiting analyst, ranks Matt Tuiasosopo a No. 9 quarterback recruit in the country and No. 37 overall.

Husky quarterbacks Chris Chandler, Warren Moon, and his brother Marques have all been big dollar draft picks in the NFL edition of “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.”

The Mariners’ bid for Matt T. had to be competitive with his perceived value as an NFL quarterback, and soften the mahogany-hard football heritage of the Tuiasosopo family tree of football.

Marques was 4th on the Huskies’ All-Time Career Passing Yards list, and has 4 pro seasons as the backup or starting quarterback for the Oakland Raiders.

Huskies fullback Zach Tuiasosopo, another brother, was considered a marginal NFL prospect going into the 2005 NFL Draft, despite having had to sit out the last 8 games of his senior season in 2004 because of a broken leg.

When it comes to a deal, the Tuiasosopos know what they want, and know what they’re worth.

“We – me and my parents and our agent – we talked to the Mariners and we gave them an amount.  I think we told them 1st Round money was going to be the guideline, because it was a big decision for me to give up a college education.  We told all the teams what it was going to take… I really am into academics, and I’ve always been into it… We told the Mariners that, and they offered [1st Round money].  It wasn’t the biggest factor, but it was involved.”

Still, the football schools made their bids. Matt says he was always open about his desire to play baseball.

“All the football schools that recruited me,” Tuiasosopo says, “knew about baseball.”

He says he is “at peace” with his decision to play professional baseball.  He watched his brother Zach play for the Huskies this past football season, but he didn’t feel a burning desire to join him. 

“It wasn’t difficult to be there [watching football]… I’m so excited about my decision and what’s happened so far.”

Interestingly, despite his extensive football heritage, Matt didn’t even play football until 8th grade.  Was he trying to escape his family’s shadow? .

“Trying to be different and trying to do my own thing wasn’t my goal,” he replies.  “That wasn’t the big factor.  I love baseball.  I always have, growing up… I have a lot of baseball memories.” 

Matt grins widely and gets a twinkle in his eye, as his pleasant but glowering demeanor lightens up with one of those memories.  “I was an out away from going to the Little League World Series.  We played on ESPN2.  I was 12 years old.”

We see him staying in the infield, although he may shift positions, possibly to second base as scouts outside the Seattle hype-fest surrounding Matt T. note that, while he's a great all-around athlete, he may lack the raw reaction time to be a good major league short-stop.

Thus far, opposing pitchers have found vulnerabilities and holes in his swing that he'll have to adjust to advance.  Given his athletic ability, that's more of a time and training factor than a limitation to advancement for Tuiasosopo.

As a Washington native, being recruited by the Mariners had to be a factor as well. Matt reminisces about seeing the Mariners play at the Kingdome.  If can rise through the system, he’ll play in Tacoma, then Seattle.

Walking into the Timber Rattlers’ office for the first time, Tuiasosopo couldn’t have missed the. autographed jersey of another Appleton and Seattle Mariners shortstop that played in the Kingdome at the age of 19.  His name was Alex Rodriguez.

Those may be far bigger shoes to fill than even those of his famed football family, but it’s a bar that his talent, and his heritage, position him well to jump, if his work ethic remains strong and the baseball fates remain kind.

Matt T. enters the MLN FAB50 at No. 36 in thirds for his ability and early record, his deal, and the very high stock in which the Mariners organization places on this talented young man.

- Max Dane contributed to this ranking.