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Matthew Petelu Tuiasosopo (born May 10, 1986) is an American former professional baseball utility player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, and the Atlanta Braves. He was Atlanta's third base coach in 2024 and part of 2025.
Tuiasosopo attended Woodinville High School, where he played baseball and football. He had a promising football career: he was selected to play in the 2004 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Before signing as a professional baseball player, he signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of Washington.
In 2005, he was with Seattle's Low-A affiliate, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. He hit .276 with three and 45 runs batted in. He was ranked number 36 on Minor League News' annual Fab 50. He recorded a season-high 13-game hitting streak to start the season, batting .423 with eight runs, three doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs during that time. Tuiasosopo had 27 multi-hit games, three four-hit games and six three-hit games. He hit home runs in back-to-back games on June 9 and 10.
In 2006, he split time between the Mariners' High-A Inland Empire 66ers and Double-A San Antonio Missions affiliates. He batted a combined .248 with two home runs and 44 RBI. He played with the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League that fall. He hit .306 with one home run with 34 RBIs, 31 runs scored and five stolen bases in 59 games with Inland Empire but only batted .185 with one home run, 16 runs scored and 10 RBIs with San Antonio.
Tuiasosopo spent the 2007 season with the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. He hit .424 with eight runs, five doubles and three RBIs during a season-high 10-game hitting streak from April 5–14. He recorded a double in five consecutive games from April 6-1. He was named to the Southern League All-Star team and later that season played for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.
After the 2007 season, Tuiasosopo was rated as the Mariners No. 10 prospect by Baseball America.
He made the 2009 Opening Day roster for the Mariners. He had surgery on his right elbow following a late April injury. On July 4, Tuiasosopo made his first rehab start with the AZL Mariners. Tuiasosopo was activated soon after the All-Star break. Tuiasosopo hit two home runs against the Portland Beavers on August 28 helping the Rainiers to their seventh straight victory. He finished the season batting .261 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 59 games for the Rainiers. In four playoff games, he batted .313 with one home run and four RBIs.
On September 13 Tuiasosopo was called up to Seattle after the Rainiers lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Sacramento River Cats. He said this about the playoff experience:
On September 27, during the pre-game show on KIRO-AM prior to the matchup between the Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre, color commentator Mike Blowers predicted that Tuiasosopo would hit his first major league home run during this game specifically in his second at bat on a 3-1 fastball from starting pitcher Brian Tallet into the left center field second deck level. This prediction was nearly perfect as Tuiasosopo would end up hitting his first home run in his second at bat on a 3-1 pitch against Tallet out to left field into the first deck.
Tuiasosopo played in 50 games in the majors with Seattle in the 2010 season. He played his first major league games at shortstop, first base, and in the outfield.
Tuiasosopo spent the entire 2011 season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.
On December 16, 2014, Tuiasosopo signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He was released in March 2015 and returned to the White Sox in April.
On November 24, 2015, Tuiasosopo signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. In May 2016, Tuiasosopo was promoted to the major leagues by the Braves, making his debut on May 4. He was designated for assignment on May 9 after batting 0-for-3. On October 21, Tuiasosospo re-signed with the Braves on a minor league contract.
Tuiasosopo spent the entire 2017 season in the minors with the Gwinnett Braves of the Triple-A International League, playing in 114 games. On July 20, he made his first career pitching appearance in his 1,243rd minor league game, striking out two batters in a scoreless ninth inning against the Indianapolis Indians at Coolray Field. He elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2017.
On May 21, 2018, Tuiasosopo signed with the New Britain Bees of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He retired from professional baseball on August 20.
Tuiasosopo was named Atlanta's third base coach on December 11, 2023. He had been the third base coach for three Atlanta games in July 2023, filling in for Ron Washington. On June 2, 2025, Tuiasosopo was removed as third base coach and reassigned as the team's minor league infield coordinator.
Tuiasosopo is married and has three sons. His brother-in-law is Micah Owings, who had been his housemate during spring training.
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