Matt den Dekker is in his first season as a student assistant coach with the University of Florida baseball program.
den Dekker was an outfielder for the Gators from 2007-10, helping them reach the 2010 College World Series. He went on to be drafted by the New York Mets in the fifth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft. Upon his departure, den Dekker was regarded as the top defensive outfielder in school history.
The 32-year-old den Dekker played in the majors for six seasons with the Mets (2013-14, 2018), Washington Nationals (2015-16), and Detroit Tigers (2017). Over the course of nine seasons in the minor leagues, den Dekker hit .271 with a .335 on-base percentage, 487 runs scored and 401 runs batted in, in addition to 112 stolen bases on 152 attempts.
With the Gators, den Dekker earned an All-SEC First Team nod in 2008, an All-SEC Second Team laurel in 2010, along with SEC All-Defensive Team selections in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
He is still on the Gators’ top 10 for career runs scored (220, 4th), stolen bases (65, t-5th), hits (262, t-8th), runs batted in (159, t-10th), and games played (234, t-10th). den Dekker also finished with a career batting average of .310.
“The game has given me so much and this school has given me so much,” den Dekker said of the opportunity to return to complete his degree and coach. “It was something that I felt would be a great opportunity. I fell in love with baseball at an early age. I love being out at the field. I love the competition of it. I definitely miss the playing side of it, but now that I’m not playing, being on the field is something I enjoy trying to help these guys out, seeing them improve and have success and also helping them learn from failures.”
Matt den Dekker's FloridaGators.com student-athlete bio
