When Is Zebby Matthews Getting Called Up? Fantasy Baseball Prospect Outlook (Week 5 Update)

When is Zebby Matthews getting called up? Will Matthews get promoted in May 2025? Read about this top fantasy baseball prospect outlook heading into Week 5.

Starting pitcher Zebby Matthews made his MLB debut with the Minnesota Twins last season. However, Mathews really struggled in his first go-around in the majors, allowing 31 runs (28 earned runs) with 43 strikeouts across 37 2/3 innings pitched. That resulted in the right-hander finishing with a 6.69 ERA in his nine outings. 

Still, Matthews is someone fantasy managers should be keeping an eye on right now. He has pitched well in his minor league career and has looked sharp on the mound in his first five starts at Triple-A St. Paul to begin the 2025 campaign. 

So, when could the Twins call up Matthews? Can we expect him to be promoted in May? Let's dive in and find out. 

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Zebby Matthews Prospect Update for Fantasy Baseball

There's no doubt Matthews didn't look the best to start his major league career last year. He gave up a lot of hard contact, as his hard-hit rate (42.1 percent), barrel rate (14 percent), and average exit velocity (90.5 mph) all ranked extremely poorly. Nevertheless, it's hard to ignore what the 24-year-old has done over his minor league career.

Matthews had a combined 3.84 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 22 games (20 starts) at Single-A and Double-A in 2023 and then followed those numbers up by finishing with a 2.60 ERA and 114 strikeouts across 18 games (17 starts) at High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A last season. Therefore, it's not a surprise to see the right-hander off to a fantastic start at Triple-A St. Paul in 2025. 

AAA tjStuff+ Leaders

1) Bubba Chandler - 112
2) Joe Boyle - 109
3) Jacob Misiorowski - 108
4) Zebby Matthews - 107
5) Cade Horton - 107 pic.twitter.com/1aaUrvapjm

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 28, 2025

He currently owns a 1.93 ERA and 29 strikeouts in his first five starts in Triple-A this year. His best outing came back on April 15 against a really good Triple-A Iowa team when he tossed five innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts. While Matthews did have a hard time commanding the strike zone in his last start, he only allowed two runs across four 2/3 innings. 

Zebby Matthews Outlook for Fantasy Baseball

With Matthews showing his potential down in Triple-A, it's only a matter of time until the Twins call him up. Simeon Woods Richardson (4.03 ERA) and Chris Paddack (5.60 ERA) haven't exactly pitched well to start the season, and the young pitcher could wind up taking one of their spots in the rotation. 

Zebby Matthews dazzled in the @StPaulSaints win yesterday 🌟

5 IP / 4 H / 1 R / 1 BB / 7 K

His two FASTEST pitches of the night were also his two LAST pitches of the night (99.5 mph and 98.9 mph) 🤯⛽️#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/qOjvbn331O

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) April 16, 2025

We also shouldn’t rule out the possibility of the Twins using a six-man rotation in the future. If Matthews continues to pitch well in Triple-A, Minnesota will have no choice but to give him another shot in the majors. 

As a result, fantasy managers can expect Matthews to be promoted in the coming weeks. That makes him a solid stash in most 12-plus team leagues. 

Top Prospect Rankings and Call-Up ETAs

You can also check out the rest of RotoBaller's fantasy baseball prospect rankings. Eric Cross updates the below rankings weekly for the top impact prospects for 2025, and when they may be called up:

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