2023 Prospect Previews: Andrew Morris

[Jamie Cameron]

With the 114th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, the Twins selected Andrew Morris, a right-handed pitcher out of Texas Tech University. Morris was ranked 228th overall by MLB dot com on their final pre-draft big board.

Image courtesy of William Parmeter

Andrew Morris signed with the Twins for an even $500,000, slightly under the pick value of $533,300. Morris was a fourth-year senior for the Red Raiders, having transferred after spending his previous three seasons at Division II Colorado-Mesa (the same college as one Sergio Romo). In his final season for the Mavericks, he posted a 2.19 ERA, with a 115:19 K/BB ratio in 78 innings. Clearly too good for the competition, Morris arrived in Lubbock with some buzz attached. 

Scouting Notes
As a 17-year-old freshman at Colorado-Mesa, Morris helped his team reach the Division II National Championship Game. After transferring to Lubbock, Morris slotted into a rotation with Chase Hampton (drafted by the Yankees in the sixth round) and Brandon Birdsell (drafted by the Cubs in the 5th round, and previously by the Twins in 2021).

Morris is 6’0 tall and 195 pounds. He has a "tweener" delivery, operating somewhere in the middle of a three-quarter and over-the-top arm slot with pronounced shoulder tilt. His fastball sits between 91-94 mph and tops out at 96 mph with some riding life. It’s likely the Twins will work to add some more velocity as he spends more time in the organization. Morris’s best secondary pitch is a curveball with good vertical break. He used this pitch at Tech as a strikeout pitch but also showed an ability to land it for strikes in the middle of at-bats. Morris features a changeup that has fade but is a work in progress and needs improved command. Finally, Morris has a sweeping slider the Twins will likely work to enhance and develop.

Morris’ unusual mechanics create solid deception in his delivery. He handled the step up in competition well at Texas Tech, striking out 91 hitters in 88 1/3 innings of work against high quality opposition. With a BB% pushing 32%, he’ll need to refine his command significantly if he is going to stick as a starter. Morris has a nice platform, though. A deceptive fastball with good life and a good breaking ball give the Twins clay to mold.

Likely to Start At: Low A Fort Myers
Morris pitched just one professional inning in 2022, a hitless inning in which he struck out a batter for the FCL Twins. He also pitched in one game for Fort Myers in the playoffs, tossing three scoreless innings. It’s likely he spends the majority of 2023 at Fort Myers, getting bulk innings as a starter in his first extended experience of pro ball.

What did you think of the Andrew Morris pick? What do you think his ceiling is with the Twins?

Previous Articles in the Series
Brooks Lee
Connor Prielipp
Tanner Schobel

View full article

[Mike Sixel]

I'm all for darts on pitchers as much as possible that far into the draft! Looks like he has some stuff...

[Doctor Gast]

Funny he was ranked #228 yet we picked him #114 overall. That's quite a difference.

[Dman]

I don't really understand pitcher picks all that much other than those in the first couple of rounds.  I thought the pick was OK but being he was a Senior sign I thought the Twins would save a bit more money on that pick to spread to later picks.  As most people say pitchers seems to be a numbers game to some extent.  Grab as many quality arms as you can get and hope the development team can turn them into something.

I will say at the time of their picks I gave Varland and Festa no chance to be starters and thought they might not even be viable relievers.  Nowlin seemed like a dart pick to me as well.  All three look like they are developing good stuff.  Which goes to show I don't know much about pitching prospects especially just out of the draft.

The Twins picked him high and gave him close to slot so they are believers and they know far more about this young man than I do.  Hoping this is another arm in the Povich mold who I also thought was a reach where they picked him. I will be watching all the 2022 pitchers closely hoping to pin my hopes on a dominant arm that can make it in the Majors. Hopefully Morris is the one.

[jkcarew]

“His fastball sits between 91-94 mph and tops out at 96 mph with some riding life. It’s likely the Twins will work to add some more velocity as he spends more time in the organization”
 

Why is that likely? You’re probably right, but it makes me scratch my head nonetheless. If they want him to have a chance to be a starter that can consistently go at least 5-6 innings, why make squeezing more velocity out of him a priority? He’s 6’-0”…I can’t imagine there’s a ton more velocity projection in a starting scenario. 91+ sound be fine if he commands this and a couple other offerings. And that’s what I would assume they would focus on first? Additional fastball velocity would be a much much lower priority in my mind, at least until the time they were to give up and convert him to full-time reliever.

[Mike Sixel]

33 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

“His fastball sits between 91-94 mph and tops out at 96 mph with some riding life. It’s likely the Twins will work to add some more velocity as he spends more time in the organization”
 

Why is that likely? You’re probably right, but it makes me scratch my head nonetheless. If they want him to have a chance to be a starter that can consistently go at least 5-6 innings, why make squeezing more velocity out of him a priority? He’s 6’-0”…I can’t imagine there’s a ton more velocity projection in a starting scenario. 91+ sound be fine if he commands this and a couple other offerings. And that’s what I would assume they would focus on first? Additional fastball velocity would be a much much lower priority in my mind, at least until the time they were to give up and convert him to full-time reliever.

Because pitchers don't throw that slowly anymore.....not good to great ones. It's a different world than even 5 years ago.

[cheeseheadgophfan]

1 hour ago, jkcarew said:

“His fastball sits between 91-94 mph and tops out at 96 mph with some riding life. It’s likely the Twins will work to add some more velocity as he spends more time in the organization”
 

Why is that likely? You’re probably right, but it makes me scratch my head nonetheless. If they want him to have a chance to be a starter that can consistently go at least 5-6 innings, why make squeezing more velocity out of him a priority? He’s 6’-0”…I can’t imagine there’s a ton more velocity projection in a starting scenario. 91+ sound be fine if he commands this and a couple other offerings. And that’s what I would assume they would focus on first? Additional fastball velocity would be a much much lower priority in my mind, at least until the time they were to give up and convert him to full-time reliever.

The AVERAGE MLB fastball last season was 93.9 MPH........there just isn't a lot of starting pitchers in baseball anymore (outside of some lefty junk ballers) who throw a 91 MPH fastball.  Think Dylan Bundy.

[gman]

Many pitchers add a couple more mph to the fastball after working with a professional staff for a few months. I'd look more for increased spin rates and a much improved change-up in improve his pitchability. Everybody works harder on command and control, so I'd expect some improvement there.

[Jamie Cameron]

7 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

Funny he was ranked #228 yet we picked him #114 overall. That's quite a difference.

Just one ranking, wouldn't read to much into it. Twins also like to target guys 'on the rise' in these rounds. He had a really good stretch middle to end of season and some outlets aren't updating rankings past the top 100-150 in that much depth.

[Jamie Cameron]

7 hours ago, jkcarew said:

“His fastball sits between 91-94 mph and tops out at 96 mph with some riding life. It’s likely the Twins will work to add some more velocity as he spends more time in the organization”
 

Why is that likely? You’re probably right, but it makes me scratch my head nonetheless. If they want him to have a chance to be a starter that can consistently go at least 5-6 innings, why make squeezing more velocity out of him a priority? He’s 6’-0”…I can’t imagine there’s a ton more velocity projection in a starting scenario. 91+ sound be fine if he commands this and a couple other offerings. And that’s what I would assume they would focus on first? Additional fastball velocity would be a much much lower priority in my mind, at least until the time they were to give up and convert him to full-time reliever.

I hear what you're saying. It's likely because the Twins are really good at it and they try and do it with everyone. My guess, for someone who spent 3 years at a D II school and one year at a Big 12 school is that there's room for more. Bet the Twins have already accessed it some.

[Doctor Gast]

8 hours ago, Jamie Cameron said:

Just one ranking, wouldn't read to much into it. Twins also like to target guys 'on the rise' in these rounds. He had a really good stretch middle to end of season and some outlets aren't updating rankings past the top 100-150 in that much depth.

Thanks, I figured he was a good pick. His home state CO would have picked him up the same round if MN didn't choose him.

[awmonahan]

We like guys named Morris. Let's see what he can do with some time, patience and coaching. 

[Otaknam]

Who knows? Seems solid considering where he was picked but sometimes you hit it big in lower rounds. Edouard Julien comes to mind. 

[jkcarew]

On 3/2/2023 at 1:30 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Because pitchers don't throw that slowly anymore.....not good to great ones. It's a different world than even 5 years ago.

91-94 (as quoted in the article) is very close to current mlb average.  Also, Kenta Maeda.

Still, I'm not saying he (or anyone) wouldn't benefit from more velo...just that I don't see why that would be a priority yet...and I hope it would not come at the expense of stamina/durability so that he can get a good look as a starter.

[jkcarew]

On 3/2/2023 at 2:46 PM, cheeseheadgophfan said:

The AVERAGE MLB fastball last season was 93.9 MPH........there just isn't a lot of starting pitchers in baseball anymore (outside of some lefty junk ballers) who throw a 91 MPH fastball.  Think Dylan Bundy.

Or think Kenta Maeda...including 2020 Kenta Maeda.

The average would include relievers.  So, I'd bet the average MLB starter fastball was less than 93.9mph.  And regardless, the article states he's already throwing his fastball 91-94.