Matt Chapman Bio
Matthew James Chapman (born April 28, 1993) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays, establishing himself as one of the most respected defensive players of his generation.
Renowned for his defense, Chapman has won five Gold Glove Awards, two Platinum Glove Awards, and three Fielding Bible Awards. He also won the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2018 and was selected to the All-Star Game in 2019. Known for exceptional range, arm strength, and arm accuracy, he has built a career defined by elite play at third base.
Early Life and Background
Matthew James Chapman was born on April 28, 1993, in Victorville, California. He later moved to Southern California, where he attended El Toro High School in Lake Forest. As a senior in 2011, he posted a .422 batting average, showing early signs of the talent that would eventually take him to the major leagues.
Chapman went undrafted in the 2011 MLB draft and chose to attend California State University, Fullerton, where he played college baseball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans. During the 2012 summer, he played in the Northwoods League for the La Crosse Loggers, gaining valuable experience against top amateur competition. In 2014, his junior year, he slashed .312/.412/.498 with six home runs and 48 runs batted in (RBIs) in 54 games, cementing his status as a top prospect.
Path to Professional Baseball
After his strong junior season at Cal State Fullerton, the Oakland Athletics selected Chapman in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft. He quickly began climbing the minor league ladder, making his professional debut at the rookie level with the Arizona League Athletics before earning a promotion to Class-A Beloit. Across 50 games for Beloit, he batted .237 with five home runs and 20 RBIs, and he finished the year with a brief appearance for the Double-A Midland RockHounds.
In 2015, Chapman spent the entire season with the Class A-Advanced Stockton Ports, batting .250 with 23 home runs and 57 RBIs in 80 games. He was invited to major league spring training in 2016 and opened the year with Midland, where he slashed .244/.335/.521 with 29 home runs and 83 RBIs in 117 games. That performance earned him a late-season promotion to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds and the Texas League Player of the Year award for 2016.
Matt Chapman Career
Early Career (2017)
The Athletics promoted Chapman to the major leagues on June 15, 2017, and he made his MLB debut that night. The following day, he recorded his first major league hit and collected three RBIs, including the go-ahead run, against the New York Yankees. He spent the remainder of the season with Oakland after his mid-June call-up, batting .234 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs in 84 games.
Before his call-up, Chapman had begun the 2017 season with Nashville, where he batted .257 with 16 home runs and 30 RBIs in 49 games despite a wrist injury that briefly sent him to the disabled list. His combination of offensive upside and defensive versatility made him a cornerstone of the Athletics’ long-term plans.
Oakland Athletics Breakthrough (2018–2021)
Chapman’s 2018 campaign was a defining one. He finished the year batting .278 with 24 home runs and 68 RBIs, providing solid baserunning and excellent defense. He underwent surgery on his right thumb in October and left shoulder surgery in December, but his play in between earned him a Fielding Bible Award, his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award, and the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award, which he shared with his former El Toro High School teammate Nolan Arenado.
In 2019, Chapman reached another level offensively, hitting 36 home runs with 91 RBIs and a .249/.342/.506 slash line in 156 games. He was selected to the All-Star Game and continued to anchor the Athletics’ infield. The 2020 season was shortened by injury, as Chapman battled hip tendonitis and opted out in September to undergo labrum surgery, but he returned in 2021 to belt 27 home runs with 72 RBIs and earn his third career Gold Glove Award.
Toronto Blue Jays Era (2022–2023)
On March 16, 2022, the Athletics traded Chapman to the Toronto Blue Jays for Gunnar Hoglund, Kevin Smith, Zach Logue, and Kirby Snead. Six days later, he signed a two-year contract worth $25 million, avoiding salary arbitration. He quickly became a steady presence in the Blue Jays’ infield and a fan favorite in Toronto.
In 2023, Chapman produced one of the hottest stretches of his career. He hit his first career grand slam off Reid Detmers in a 12–11 road victory against the Los Angeles Angels on April 9, and he was named AL Player of the Month for April after leading all hitters in OPS, wRC+, and fWAR. He became a free agent following the 2023 season.
San Francisco Giants Era (2024–Present)
On March 3, 2024, Chapman signed a one-year, $18 million contract with the San Francisco Giants that also included player options for the 2025 and 2026 seasons and a mutual option for 2027. He quickly established himself as the everyday third baseman and a veteran leader in the clubhouse. On September 4, 2024, he signed a six-year, $151 million contract extension, signaling the organization’s long-term commitment.
Throughout the 2025 season, Chapman had multiple stays on the injured list due to right-hand inflammation, but he still reached major career milestones. On August 28, 2025, he hit his 200th career home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Jordan Wicks in a 12-3 victory. On September 26, he recorded his 1,000th career hit with a line-drive single to center field as the Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-3.
Driving Style and Strengths
Chapman has a reputation as an elite defender with exceptional range, arm strength, and arm accuracy. His arm allows him to play at a deeper depth to field hard-hit balls down his right side, and he uses a two-handed gather on the forehand and a one-handed backhand with a basketball-style defensive crouch to keep the ball from sailing. At the plate, he is known for his patient approach, drawing more pitches per plate appearance than nearly any other hitter in the league.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments include his MLB debut with the Athletics in 2017, his first career grand slam in 2023, his 200th career home run in 2025, and his 1,000th career hit later that same season. He has also earned five Gold Glove Awards, two Platinum Glove Awards, three Fielding Bible Awards, the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2018, and an All-Star selection in 2019.
Matt Chapman Career Highlights
Across his MLB career with the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Francisco Giants, Matt Chapman has built a resume defined by elite defense and steady offensive production. He has earned five Gold Glove Awards, two Platinum Glove Awards, three Fielding Bible Awards, the 2018 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award, and an All-Star selection in 2019.
MLB Highlights
Chapman made his MLB debut on June 15, 2017, with Oakland and recorded his first hit and three RBIs the next day against the New York Yankees. He hit his first career grand slam in April 2023 and was named AL Player of the Month for that month. In 2025, he joined the 200-home run club and the 1,000-hit club, further cementing his place among the top third basemen of his era.
Minor League and Amateur Achievements
Before reaching the majors, Chapman was a first-round pick in the 2014 MLB draft and was named the Texas League Player of the Year in 2016. He also starred at Cal State Fullerton, where he slashed .312/.412/.498 in his junior season, and at El Toro High School, where he batted .422 as a senior.
Matt Chapman Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Chapman was born and raised in Victorville, California, before moving to Lake Forest, where he attended El Toro High School. His former high school teammate is fellow MLB third baseman Nolan Arenado, with whom he later shared the 2018 Rawlings Platinum Glove Award. During the off-season, Chapman has been roommates with Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs in California.
Chapman and his wife, Taylor, were married in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in December 2021. The couple welcomed a daughter, Gia, on September 19, 2024. Chapman has Tourette syndrome and has spoken publicly about managing the condition throughout his career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a milestone campaign for Matt Chapman, even as right-hand inflammation sent him to the injured list multiple times. Despite the health setbacks, he stayed productive at the plate and remained a defensive anchor at third base for the San Francisco Giants.
On August 28, 2025, Chapman hit his 200th career home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Jordan Wicks in a 12-3 victory, joining an exclusive group of players to reach the mark. Less than a month later, on September 26, he collected his 1,000th career hit with a line-drive single to center field in a 6-3 win over the Colorado Rockies.
With his six-year, $151 million extension in place and his long-term future in San Francisco secured, Chapman is positioned to remain a central figure in the Giants’ lineup for years to come. His combination of veteran leadership, elite defense, and run-producing power gives the organization a foundational piece as it looks to build a consistent contender in the National League.