Top 15 Prospects

Written by Andrew Kneeland

Monday, 04 January 2010 23:50

2. Angel Morales, OF, 19 years old

2009 stats: .266/.329/.455, 418 PA, 13 HR, 104/30 K/BB at Beloit (A-)
Last year’s rank: 5
Acquired: 3^rd round selection of the Minnesota Twins in the 2007 draft

As far as prospects go, Morales was just about as raw as they come. Drafted out of high school in Puerto Rico, Morales had as much power potential as just about any other player taken in the '07 Draft. The reason he slipped to the third round, though, was because of his virtually non-existent plate presence.

Be it a knee-high fastball piped down the center of the plate or a wicked slider in the dirt, Morales would swing at just about anything and everything. The extremely young righty struck out an incredibly high 39.3 percent of the time over the course of the '08 season, the second-highest figure in the entire Appalachian League. This year, though, Morales cut that down to a much more manageable 27.7 percent.

This past year was Morales' first full season, and his gaudy slugging and isolated power numbers have decreased to a much more realistic plateau. Hitting .266/.329/.455 in '09, Morales also displayed an improved contact rate, showcasing his development at the plate.

In terms of pitch recognition, Morales is about as far along as you could expect any 19-year-old to be: the early stages. The young righty continues to struggle against breaking pitches, which he tends to chase, but nothing that can't be taught and learned as he matures.

Various batting coaches have worked with the right-handed batter from Puerto Rico, and are trying to cure him of his tendency to close his hips and release his hands early, which greatly decreases any chances of hitting the ball to all sides of the field. Morales has extremely quick hands and a very fast swing, so this progression should be made with little difficulty.

Morales is very athletic, and has consistently proven himself capable of stealing bases. Most scouts agree that Morales could be a 20/20 guy (20 home runs, 20 stolen bases) in the major leagues, and some go so far as to say that he has the potential to be a 30/30 outfielder.

Defensively, Morales is an above-average center fielder with good speed who makes solid routes. He is just 19 years old, though, and should fill out with time. This increased strength and stature will most probably move him to right-field.

Ideal scenario: Because of Morales' youth and extremely high ceiling, the Twins will treat him in the most conservative fashion possible. He will advance one level in the minor leagues every year or year-and-a-half, and could reach the majors in 2013. Morales will spend this year, though, in Fort Myers with the Class A+ Miracle.

Path to the majors: There are several elite outfield prospects in the Twins' system, and most of them are slated to arrive in the major leagues just before Morales. This could make things difficult for the powerful right-hander, but Morales could conceivably force his way into the Twins' outfield when he arrives.

Comments (7) Add Comment

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written by Josh Johnson, January 04, 2010

Nice job with the list, Andrew.

Not sure I completely agree with you regarding Morales and Revere's defense. From everything I've heard/read/been told, Morales has the speed to handle himself but is far from "above average." Arm wise? Yes, he has an above average arm, but all together he's below average. I was told that he's sometimes "inattentive" in the outfield and takes terrible routes to the ball. But FWIW, I was also told that he has a great work ethic and should improve w/ age.

And although Revere's been below-average defensively in the past, he made HUGE improvements in '09. Still doesn't have much of an arm, but even that made a huge improvement in '09.

Just wanted to let you know what I've heard.

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written by andrewkneeland, January 04, 2010

I've read at least three separate scouting reports on Morales' defense, and the adjectives range from "quality" to "good" to "plus." One even said that should his bat fail, Morales can rely on his defense to advance him through the minor leagues. That may be a bit of an over-statement, but I really haven't heard any reason to be down on his defense. I'll be sure to keep my ears and eyes open for any additional info. Thanks for the heads-up.

As to Revere, it's good to hear he's progressing! Thanks!

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written by Josh Johnson, January 05, 2010

FWIW, this report says that he has "well below-average power."

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/events/draft_report/y2007/index.jsp?mc=morales

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written by andrewkneeland, January 05, 2010

That's his draft report from three years ago when he has a high-schooler. I'm fairly certain you couldn't find a single scout who would confirm that.

Morales has incredible raw power, and an extremely high ceiling, which almost solely depends on his power. I'm standing behind my claim of Morales' power.

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written by Josh Johnson, January 05, 2010

I'm not saying anything about his power, just going to show that that report was clearly wrong regarding his power potential and some scouting reports need to be taken with a grain of salt.

Obviously I'm not a scout or claim to know more than what a different report offers, just saying what I've heard.

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written by andrewkneeland, January 05, 2010

Couldn't agree more, Josh. That is an important thing to remember, and I feel as though the three guys I've read/heard regarding Morales' defense know their stuff.

Thanks for the reminder!

wonderful life
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