Matt Chapman Bio
Matthew James Chapman, born on April 28, 1993, in Victorville, California, is an American professional baseball third baseman for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). A 2014 first-round draft pick by the Oakland Athletics, Chapman reached the majors in 2017 and has since built a reputation as one of the premier defensive players of his era. He previously played for the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays, earning recognition for his elite glove work, powerful right-handed bat, and durability at the hot corner. Across his MLB career, he has collected 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.
Early Life and Background
Matthew James Chapman grew up in Southern California after being born in Victorville and later moved to Lake Forest, where he attended El Toro High School. As a senior in 2011, he posted a .422 batting average, showcasing the offensive skills that would later translate to the professional ranks. Despite that production, he went undrafted in the 2011 MLB draft, a setback that pushed him toward the college route. His high school years also produced a lasting connection with future MLB star Nolan Arenado, a fellow El Toro infielder who would go on to share Platinum Glove honors with him years later.
Following high school, Chapman enrolled at California State University, Fullerton, where he played college baseball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans. During the 2012 summer, he sharpened his game with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League, gaining valuable experience against wood-bat competition. In his junior season of 2014, he slashed .312/.412/.498 with six home runs and 48 runs batted in across 54 games, cementing his status as a top draft prospect. That performance caught the attention of Major League scouts and set the stage for his professional career.
Path to Baseball
The Oakland Athletics selected Chapman in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft, launching his climb through the minor leagues. He made his professional debut at the rookie-level Arizona League Athletics before a quick promotion to the Class-A Beloit Snappers, where he batted .237 with five home runs and 20 runs batted in over 50 games. A short late-season stint with the Double-A Midland RockHounds gave him his first taste of advanced competition. By 2015, Chapman was holding his own at Class A-Advanced Stockton, where he batted .250 with 23 home runs and 57 runs batted in across 80 games, signaling his offensive potential.
Invited to major league spring training in 2016, Chapman returned to Midland and thrived, slashing .244/.335/.521 with 29 home runs and 83 runs batted in over 117 games to earn Texas League Player of the Year honors. A late-season promotion to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds followed, giving him a brief look at the highest minor league level. He opened 2017 back in Nashville, but a wrist injury on a check swing in the first series briefly stalled his momentum. Even so, his power and patience at the plate left little doubt that his MLB call-up was imminent.
Matt Chapman Career
Oakland Athletics (2017–2021)
The Athletics promoted Chapman to the majors on June 15, 2017, and he wasted no time making an impact. The very next night, he recorded his first major league hit and drove in three runs, including the go-ahead run, against the New York Yankees. He finished his rookie stint batting .234 with 14 home runs and 40 runs batted in over 84 games, offering a glimpse of the two-way ability Oakland had envisioned. By 2018, he was firmly entrenched at third base, batting .278 with 24 home runs and 68 runs batted in while earning his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award, his first Fielding Bible Award, and the inaugural Platinum Glove Award. Offseason surgeries on his right thumb and left shoulder did little to slow his ascent.
Chapman’s 2019 season represented his offensive peak in Oakland, as he slugged 36 home runs with 91 runs batted in and a .249/.342/.506 slash line over 156 games, earning his first and only All-Star selection. The 2020 campaign was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and he opted out in September after undergoing labrum surgery on his right hip. He rebounded in 2021 with 27 home runs and 72 runs batted in despite a .210 batting average, claiming his third career Gold Glove Award and setting a record as the first Athletic to ever strike out 200 times in a single season. Across five seasons in Oakland, he established himself as one of the franchise’s most recognizable stars of the decade.
Toronto Blue Jays (2022–2023)
On March 16, 2022, the Athletics traded Chapman to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Gunnar Hoglund, Kevin Smith, Zach Logue, and Kirby Snead, ending his Oakland tenure. Days later, he signed a two-year, $25 million contract that avoided salary arbitration. He integrated smoothly into the Blue Jays infield, providing elite defense and a right-handed power bat to a contending lineup. His two seasons in Toronto reinforced his standing as one of the most well-rounded third basemen in the American League.
Chapman’s 2023 season featured several career highlights, including his first career grand slam off Reid Detmers in a 12–11 road win over the Los Angeles Angels on April 9. He was named American League Player of the Month for April after leading all hitters in OPS, weighted Runs Created Plus, and FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement. His combination of power, patience, and Gold Glove-caliber defense made him a cornerstone of the Blue Jays. Following the 2023 season, Chapman became a free agent, setting the stage for a new chapter on the West Coast.
San Francisco Giants (2024–Present)
On March 3, 2024, Chapman signed a one-year, $18 million contract with the San Francisco Giants that included player options for 2025 and 2026 and a mutual option for 2027. He quickly became a fixture in the Giants infield, and on September 4, 2024, he inked a six-year, $151 million contract extension that secured his future in the Bay Area. The deal reflected his value as both a defensive anchor and a middle-of-the-order run producer. He added a fifth Gold Glove Award in 2024, further cementing his reputation as the gold standard at third base.
The 2025 season brought a series of right-hand inflammation issues that sent him to the injured list multiple times, yet he still produced memorable 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 notched his 1,000th career hit with a line-drive single to center field against the Colorado Rockies. His 2026 campaign picked up where he left off, as he recorded a career-high eight runs batted in during an 18–3 rout of the Cubs on June 5, 2026, and added two solo home runs plus an RBI double in an 11–10 comeback win over the Washington Nationals five days later.
Defensive Profile and Strengths
Chapman is widely regarded as an elite defender, combining exceptional range, arm strength, and arm accuracy at third base. His powerful arm allows him to play at a deeper depth than most infielders, giving him extra reach on hard-hit balls down the line. He employs a two-handed gather on forehand plays and a one-handed backhand with a basketball-style defensive crouch to keep throws online. The combination of those tools has produced a career arc decorated with five Gold Gloves, two Platinum Gloves, and three Fielding Bible Awards.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Chapman’s career are his first major league hit against the Yankees in 2017, his first career grand slam off Reid Detmers in 2023, and his 200th career home run off Jordan Wicks in 2025. He also reached 1,000 career hits during the 2025 season and tied a personal best with eight runs batted in a single game in 2026. The 2018 season stands out as a milestone year, when he captured the first-ever Platinum Glove Award alongside high school teammate Nolan Arenado.
Matt Chapman Career Wins
Matt Chapman’s trophy case reflects his standing as one of the premier two-way players of his generation, with hardware spanning All-Star, Gold Glove, Platinum Glove, and Fielding Bible recognition. While the table below summarizes his verified MLB achievements, his accomplishments go well beyond the numbers, including a 2019 All-Star nod and a string of defensive awards that have redefined the standard at third base.
MLB Highlights
Chapman has been selected to one MLB All-Star Game, in 2019, capping a season in which he hit 36 home runs and slugged .506. He has won five Gold Glove Awards in the years 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024, giving him at least one award in four of his first eight full seasons. He was the co-winner of the inaugural Platinum Glove Award in 2018 with Nolan Arenado, and he has taken home Fielding Bible Awards on three separate occasions. He also earned the 2018 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award, a fan-voted honor recognizing the game’s top overall defender.
Other Awards and Performances
Beyond his MLB awards, Chapman earned the Texas League Player of the Year Award in 2016 after a dominant run with the Double-A Midland RockHounds. He was named the American League Player of the Month for April 2023 with the Toronto Blue Jays, leading all hitters in OPS, weighted Runs Created Plus, and FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement. He has also represented the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants at the All-Star level, and his 200th career home run in 2025 placed him among an exclusive group of power-hitting third basemen of the modern era.
Matt Chapman Family
Family Background and Connections
Matthew James Chapman was raised in Southern California, where his family supported his early athletic development. His high school years at El Toro produced a lifelong connection with fellow MLB third baseman Nolan Arenado, with whom he shared the first-ever Platinum Glove Award in 2018. During the off-season, he has roomed with Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs, another close friend from his California baseball circles.
Personal Life
Matt Chapman married his wife, Taylor, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in December 2021. The couple welcomed a daughter, Gia, on September 19, 2024, while Chapman was in his first season with the San Francisco Giants. Chapman has spoken publicly about living with Tourette syndrome, a condition he manages while continuing to perform at an elite level in Major League Baseball.
2025 Season Performance
Matt Chapman’s 2025 season was a study in perseverance, as multiple stints on the injured list with right-hand inflammation disrupted his rhythm but did not derail his production. Even with the missed time, he delivered two of the most memorable milestones of his career, hitting his 200th home run on August 28 and his 1,000th career hit on September 26. He also added a fifth Gold Glove Award to his collection, reinforcing his status as the defensive standard at third base in the National League. His bat remained a stabilizing force in the middle of the Giants lineup throughout the summer months.
The Giants leaned heavily on Chapman’s veteran presence as they navigated a tightly contested National League playoff race, with his power and on-base skills helping to offset stretches when other regulars were sidelined. His six-year contract extension, signed in September 2024, gave the organization long-term confidence in his role as a franchise cornerstone. The 2025 results, including the career milestones, helped validate that commitment and set a strong tone for the remaining years of the deal. With his health expected to be a focus in the offseason, the Giants entered 2026 optimistic that a cleaner bill of health would unlock an even more productive campaign.
