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JJ Matijevic uses long ball to earn Triple-A promotion with Astros | TribLIVE.com
Norwin Star

JJ Matijevic uses long ball to earn Triple-A promotion with Astros

Bill Beckner
Bill Beckner
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Corpus Christi Hooks
Norwin grad JJ Matijevic has six home runs in his past 10 games since returning from a 50-game suspension June 21.

Home runs make the crowd ooh and aah, like fireworks or a photo finish.

They also can get minor leaguers promotions. Right, JJ Matijevic?

Call what the former Norwin standout and Houston Astros prospect is doing a power trip.

After showing he can still go yard with the best of them at the Double-A level, Matijevic was bumped to Triple-A last month and belted a three-run homer in his debut with the Sugar Land Skeeters — in his first at-bat with his new team.

Not a bad way for the big-swinging lefty to announce his presence at the highest level of the minors.

Five games in, he had two homers, four doubles and seven RBIs. Across 10 games, he is hitting .326 (14 for 43) with three homers and nine RBIs.

He has homered 12 times this season. In four seasons in the minors, he has 52 homers and 166 RBIs in 279 games. There was no minor league season in 2020.

Matijevic, who played college baseball at Arizona and was drafted by the Astros in the second round in 2017, hit .275 with nine homers and 27 RBIs in 31 games for the Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) earlier this year.

While his pro career has been a slow build, seemingly stalled in Double-A, this could be the big break summer for Matijevic, 25, who is earning his paychecks as a designated hitter and corner infielder.

With no roadblocks, he could be on a path to the majors.

He served a 50-game suspension in 2019 for violating league rules pertaining to the use of banned drugs. He twice failed a test for a drug that was not revealed by the commissioner’s office.

He showed remorse and said he came back a better person and player.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

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