Matthew Lawton, Jr. is an American former professional baseball player whose career spanned 15 seasons, including 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Lawton, an outfielder, made his major league debut September 5, 1995, with the Minnesota Twins, who signed him four years prior. He also played in the majors with the New York Mets (2001), the Cleveland Indians (2002–04), the Pittsburgh Pirates (2005), the Chicago Cubs (2005), the New York Yankees (2005), and the Seattle Mariners (2006). Over his major league career, Lawton compiled a .267 batting average with 1,273 hits, 267 doubles, 17 triples, 138 home runs, 631 runs batted in (RBIs), 165 stolen bases, and 681 walks in 1,334 games played.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and play their home games at Parkview Field. They won their lone Midwest League championship in 2009.