My rankings
is solely subjective and based on nothing more than what is in my head at time
I’m writing this. I’ve followed the Mets minor league players for many years
and I feel I can recognize talent at various levels of their development. What
I have failed at is how to determine when this talent seems to diminish. It’s
amazing how many first round picks never make it in this game.
I’m old
school, so you won’t seem much SABR-discussion here, I do research and, when I
find a good quote or two, I’ll add them to my analysis, but, like I said in the
beginning of this post, most of this us subjective.
Let’s get
started.
#15 – RHRP – Akeel
Morris – 22-years old – Charlotte-Amalie HS, St. Thomas, Virgin Island
- 6-1, 170 – R/R – Drafted in
round 10 2010 draft
2010
– GCL - 8-G, 6-starts, 2.19, 1.22,
24.2-IP, 28-K
2011
– K/Port – 11-starts, 3.86, 1.32, 51.1-IP, 61-K
2012
– K/Port - 11-G, 6-starts, 7.98, 1.57,
38.1-IP, 50-K
2013
– Bklyn – 14-G, 3-starts, 1.00, 1.16, 45.0-IP. 60-K
2014
– Sav – 41-appearances, 0.63, 0.72, 57-IP, 89-K
Career
– 5 seasons: 288-K in 216.1-IP
What did they say about Morris at draft time?
Akeel Morris pitched a perfect game past season for
the Charlotte Amalie High School baseball team, which is just one
accomplishment on a baseball resume the 17-year-old is hoping will attract
interest from a professional baseball team.
Morris is
one of a handful of baseball players from the U.S. Virgin Islands who should be
selected during next week’s Major League Baseball Draft, V.I. Future Stars
Baseball founder Darren Canton said.
“I think I
have a good chance to go in the middle rounds,” said Morris, a 6-foot-2,
175-pound right-handed pitcher. “It’s been a long process as far as being
scouted. I’ve been to so many tournaments and I’ve followed up on all the
scouts and coaches I’ve met. It’s been quite a ride.”
But just
because a young player can throw a 94 mph. fastball — like Morris — getting
drafted doesn’t guarantee a starting spot alongside Derek
Jeter and the New York Yankees. Actually, getting drafted doesn’t
guarantee much at all.
There wasn’t
much press at the time of the signing, but what do you expect from a 17-year
old from the Virgin Islands?
The Mets
took their time with this kid and looked like he had an outstanding chance to
stick as a starter, but a disastrous 2012 season in Kingsport began a slow
conversion to the pen.
Last year
was, well… it’s hard to find any pitcher that ever had a better year than
Morris did last year for the Sand Gnats. Other team players use to pack their
equipment and head to their team bus when Morris began warming up in the pen.
Joke.
Outlook –
A very rosy
one.
Morris will
open up in sunny Florida with the St. Lucie Mets and take it from there. I’ve
interviewed him three times and he loves being a closer, so there could be some
blocking involved to get him to Binghamton next season. We’ll see.
Morris is a
perfect example why you should never write off someone too early in this
process like I seemed to do earlier in this series with Gavin Cecchini. It’s
impossible to predict when all things will come together like they did for
Morris last season.
9 comments:
Remarkable year for Morris - too good to be a fluke - like having a 1B hit 50 homers in the minors - that impressive. I have him slightly higher than you in my rankings, Mack, but we are close. I expect another great year in 2015 after a terrific 2013 followed by a stunning 2014.
Did I miss something? When did things come together for Gavin Cecchini? :)
When he got this signing bonus! Hopefully he invested it wisely.
Cecchini is going to serve you up a nice cup of "I told you so" this year!
And, I am sure you will drink it willingly - much like me with Rainy Lara and Ynoa.
I remember Morris being described as "raw" when he was drafted - man was that accurate.
I see him at least closing for AA by the end of the year - there may be an overflow, but remember he is on the 40 man already - so he needs to move fast from here, every year is burning an option
Re: Cecchini
every drop
Michael -
If I remember, he told me he bought a truck and saves what was left
With all of these pitchers, there is a big "IF": if there weren't so many pitchers in this organization, and instead it were pitching-poor, Thor, Montero and Matz would be in the Mets opening day rotation. Etc, etc.
In Morris' case, if there were not so many pitchers, he could be a Sept call up.
Why not? Alvarez made it all the way from Savannah to the Mets in one year, due to a need. And I feel Morris is the better of the two. And if he made it as a Sept call up, he'd have leaped from Savannah over 2 years.
And who would I have rather had in the pen in April 2015, if Valverde and Farnsworth were still around? Them or Leathersich? Easy one to me.
Again. - Morris's spot on the 40 man means he moves fast
Post a Comment