Andrew Morris is Quietly Becoming a Key Piece in an Unusual Role

[Sam Caulder]

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Andrew Morris was never the flashy, Top-100 name lighting up prospect rankings. He wasn’t the can’t-miss arm generating buzz across the league, and certainly not someone grabbing headlines with gaudy strikeout totals or triple-digit velocity. Even now, at the major-league level, he’s settled into one of the least glamorous roles on the pitching staff: the length reliever. But if you’ve been paying close attention, Morris has quietly been effective, reliable, and (arguably) under-appreciated.

Through his first 15 2/3 major-league innings, the surface-level numbers don’t exactly jump off the page. A 5.17 ERA paired with a 1.53 WHIP isn’t going to turn heads, and in today’s game, a 20% strikeout rate falls short of the league average, which hovers around 22%. His fastball, sitting around 95 MPH, is solid but not overpowering. On paper, it’s the profile of a pitcher still trying to find his footing.

But the paper doesn’t tell the full story. If you dig a layer deeper, Morris starts to look like a completely different pitcher. Despite the elevated WHIP, largely driven by the number of hits he’s allowed, Morris has been elite at limiting hard contact. Opposing hitters simply are not squaring him up. He has allowed just one barrel all season, and his average exit velocity against sits at 85.3 MPH, placing him in the 92nd percentile among major-league pitchers.

So how does a pitcher allow a fair number of hits while still suppressing quality contact at that level? The answer often comes down to variance. Weak contact can still fall in for hits, and through a small sample size, a few seeing-eye singles or bloopers can quickly inflate traditional stats like ERA and WHIP. The Twins' subpar defense isn't helping matters.

The underlying metrics reinforce that idea. Morris owns a 3.19 expected ERA and a 3.08 FIP, both of which paint the picture of a pitcher who’s performing far better than his surface-level numbers suggest. If he keeps pitching the way he has, the results should start to catch up.

While he’s not missing bats at an elite rate, Morris has found another way to keep hitters uncomfortable, which is getting ahead early and expanding the zone. His 70% first-pitch strike rate is one of the most important indicators of his success so far. It’s a number that cannot be overstated. Getting ahead 0-1 immediately shifts the at-bat in the pitcher’s favor, opening the door for chase pitches and weak contact later in the count.

The difference that makes is massive. Take former Twin Ildemaro Vargas, who is currently leading the league in batting average (as we all expected). When Vargas is getting ahead in the count 1-0, he’s hitting an absurd .535. When he falls behind 0-1, that number drops all the way down to .259. That’s the power of a first-pitch strike.

Morris is living in the zone early, forcing hitters into defensive counts, and then using his secondary pitches to generate chases outside of it. It’s not flashy, but it’s effective, which is a theme that seems to follow him everywhere.

If there’s one area where Morris could still take a step forward, it would be generating more ground balls. His current 34% ground ball rate is definitely on the low side, and increasing that number could help him limit baserunners even further by turning more contact into outs.

With that said, addressing it may require adjustments to his pitch mix and/or selection, and when you’re already limiting hard contact this well, it is not necessarily an urgent fix. There is something to be said for sticking with what's working. What’s working right now is a pitcher who understands how to navigate big-league lineups without overpowering stuff.

Morris may never be the guy who racks up double-digit strikeouts or headlines a rotation, but that doesn’t diminish his value. Every pitching staff needs someone who can bridge innings, stabilize games, and quietly keep things under control when the spotlight isn’t shining brightest. That’s exactly what he’s done so far.

At just 24 years old, Morris is still in the early stages of his development. There’s room to grow, adjustments to make, and potentially another level to unlock. But even in his current form, he’s proving he belongs—and more than that, he’s proving he can be an asset.

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[mark sills]

In yesterday's game, both hits came on change ups. Not sure who calls the pitches, butt when your coming in after Ober why through anything butt heat 98 was his two pitches before the change up, just hate that call.

[tony&rodney]

Morris is due for some better luck. The last 3 years I have watched him suffer the fate of many broken bat hits and poor defense behind him. Morris needs to 1) pick up his teammates lack of defensive skill and 2) get better luck.

It is too early to know what type of career Morris has, but he could fit in the pen or as a rotation piece. Inexperienced pitchers need to adjust to MLB hitters and get firm command of multiple pitches. Morris is a work in progress. Clayton Kershaw gave up more hits and had less strike outs than innings pitched with an ERA over four in his first season. We know Morris is nowhere near that talent level but it takes time to learn. Patience.

[Patzky]

Morris and Laweryson may just hang around and be successful 2027 components of a bullpen that really needs some.

[arby58]

Given the Twins current infield, I'm not sure that wanting more ground balls from a pitcher is a good idea.

[tony&rodney]

7 minutes ago, mark sills said:

In yesterday's game, both hits came on change ups. Not sure who calls the pitches, butt when your coming in after Ober why through anything butt heat 98 was his two pitches before the change up, just hate that call.

While I agree with this and will add that pitch sequencing is what specifically Morris was working on when pitching for St. Paul, I do think it is important that Morris execute all of his pitches. I wanted a high fastball in off the plate on pitch one. Even though we both disagreed with the call, putting the pitch in a tough location is most important.

[tony&rodney]

2 minutes ago, arby58 said:

Given the Twins current infield, I'm not sure that wanting more ground balls from a pitcher is a good idea.

Until the Twins front office makes the changes that result in the team having solid gloves at all or at least most positions this will remain a Catch-22. The pitchers job is to create weak contact and if they try to strike everyone out, they will fail. The extra effort often reduces command which results in ... bang. There is only one Paul Skenes.

Morris needs to work on increasing ground balls even though the infield is porous because next year or soon thereafter there will be defenders ready to turn those balls in outs and double plays. I like Morris quite a bit but he needs experience.

[rdehring]

I want to see the Twins develop two or three good pitchers who pitch long relief.  These pitchers could follow a 5-inning starter with a 3-4 inning relief appearance.  That would give the rest of the bullpen, or all but one the day off.  With today's bullpen that would be good. 

With recent talk of the Twins working with several pitchers in the minors on a 4-day schedule, it sounds like the Twins may be thinking this might be in their future.  Morris just might fit this role.

[DJL44]

38 minutes ago, rdehring said:

I want to see the Twins develop two or three good pitchers who pitch long relief.  These pitchers could follow a 5-inning starter with a 3-4 inning relief appearance.  That would give the rest of the bullpen, or all but one the day off.  With today's bullpen that would be good. 

With recent talk of the Twins working with several pitchers in the minors on a 4-day schedule, it sounds like the Twins may be thinking this might be in their future.  Morris just might fit this role.

If you have a pitcher who can consistently give you 3 scoreless innings, make them a starter.

[Sam Caulder]

1 hour ago, arby58 said:

Given the Twins current infield, I'm not sure that wanting more ground balls from a pitcher is a good idea.

Fair point

[LA Vikes Fan]

1 hour ago, Patzky said:

Morris and Laweryson may just hang around and be successful 2027 components of a bullpen that really needs some.

Agreed and let's lean in on this. We picked up Yoendrys Gomez on waivers - 26, high SOs but also high ERA. He has not options left so someone will be leaving the bullpen. My guess is Luis Garcia. I'd like to see Rojas up in the bullpen soon, too. That probably takes an IL stint for someone, although Topa and Rogers inspire little confidence. Bottom line, I'd liek to see the Younger guys get some run adn if it costs us Topa and/or Rogers, so be it.  

[tarheeltwinsfan]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

While I agree with this and will add that pitch sequencing is what specifically Morris was working on when pitching for St. Paul, I do think it is important that Morris execute all of his pitches. I wanted a high fastball in off the plate on pitch one. Even though we both disagreed with the call, putting the pitch in a tough location is most important.

If I were an inexperienced rookie pitcher, I would throw exactly what a veteran catcher calls every time.