Alex Morales
| IP | 274 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.04 |
| WHIP | 1.544 |
| BB/9 | 6.996 |
| SO/9 | 9.558 |
- Full name Alexis Morales
- Born 12/20/1982 in Chicago, IL
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Oakton CC
- Drafted in the 46th round (1,367th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2003.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Expos regarded Morales as a sixth- to ninth-round talent in the 2003 draft, but he had some arm soreness in junior college and they thought he was unsignable. Then area scout Zack Hoyrst learned that Morales was academically ineligible to return to school, so Montreal grabbed him in the 46th round and signed him for 10th-round money. After the draft Morales went to play for the Joliet JackHammers in the independent Northern League, where his junior college head coach Mike Pinto was the JackHammers' pitching coach. The Expos saw he was healthy and signed him, and he threw so well that they advanced him to high Class A. Morales is a smallish righthander with a power arm. He has a short, quick arm action that generates fastballs up to 94 mph and sliders up to 82. His slider is the better of the two pitches, a sharp breaker with good tilt that grades as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He also has a decent changeup with late tumble. The Expos aren't sure yet what they have in Morales. He could be a late-inning reliever or end up in the rotation. He'll probably return to the Florida State League this year.
