Juan Morillo Stats & Scouting Report

IP	10
ERA	14.4
WHIP	2.2
BB/9	6.3
SO/9	7.2

Full name Juan Bautista Morillo
Born 11/05/1983 in San Pedro De Macoris, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 09/24/2006

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

It is now or never time for Morillo, who has made three brief trips to the majors. He is out of options, so either the Rockies will keep him in their bullpen out of spring training, or they'll have to run him through waivers to send him to the minors. Teams would be tempted to put in a claim on Morillo because of his raw arm strength. He has hit 100 mph in the past according to scouts from other organizations, though the Rockies say he pitches best at 95. The problem is throwing strikes. His slider can be an out pitch, but is too inconsistent for Morillo to count on. He dabbled with a split-finger pitch, but that created soreness so he is back to using a changeup, which hasn't come easily to him. Converted to a reliever two years ago with the hope it would help him be more aggressive and throw more strikes, he responded well in 2007, his best statistical season, but gave back that progress back last year. Given his roster situation. Morillo figures to be in the big leagues this year, but it's a question of which big league team will find roster space.
Morillo is at a turning point in his career. He has drawn attention ever since the Rockies clocked him at 104 mph in 2004, but he has yet to harness his electric arm. He's out of options, which means he has to make the big league roster out of spring training or be placed on waivers. While Morillo's fastball frequently hits triple digits, he best commands the pitch when he throws it at 95 mph. He still lacks a second plus pitch. His slider did go from inconsistent at the start of 2007 to average by season's end. He had been working on a splitter, but tightness in the top of his forearm had him back off that pitch last season. Once he put the splitter on hold, he returned to throwing a changeup. Morillo needs to throw strikes more consistently. If he can do that and develop a reliable second pitch, he could be a power closer. For now, Colorado would be content if he could make the club as a sixth- or seventh-inning reliever.
The Rockies continue to be patient with Morillo in the hopes that he'll harness his overpowering arsenal. The White Sox reportedly clocked him at 104 mph in 2004, and he can average 98 and hold that velocity deep into starts. He's starting to learn the value of sacrificing a little velocity for the sake of command, though his control and command still leave a lot to be desired. His slider and changeup remain inconsistent, but the latter shows signs of becoming a plus pitch. Morillo has an extremely resilient arm, and his profile might fit best in the bullpen, perhaps even as a closer. For now, though, Colorado will keep him in the rotation. He'll pitch 2007 in Triple-A.
The Rockies have developed Morillo cautiously, keeping him in Rookie and short-season leagues for his first four years. He made his full season debut in 2005 and advanced to high Class A after six weeks. Morillo fires easy, effortless gas, and the White Sox reportedly clocked him at 104 mph in 2004. He regularly pops 100 mph and pitches at 95-97. Durable and resilient, he never has missed a start as a pro. He may light up radar guns, but Morillo is primarily a one-pitch pitcher. He still needs to learn to command his fastball and improve his secondary pitches. He has a hard slider and a changeup, but he doesn't have enough command to throw them with confidence. His slider reaches the upper 80s, but he'll try to throw it too hard and lose break. He led the California League in walks, and even when he throws strikes he often leaves his pitches up in the zone. Because he only has one reliable pitch, several scouts foresee Morillo moving to the bullpen, where he could develop into a big league closer. He'll stay in the rotation in Double-A in 2006.
Though Morillo has yet to reach full-season ball, his pure arm strength caught the attention of enough scouts that the Rockies felt compelled to protect him on their 40-man roster. The White Sox reportedly clocked him at 104 mph. Morillo has an electric fastball and consistently hits 96 mph without exerting himself. He has dumped his curveball and come up with a hard slider. Overhauling his mechanics allowed him to repeat his delivery more consistently and led to his breakthrough success last year. At the big league level, Morillo's philosophy of hard, hard and harder isn't going to work. His changeup is rudimentary and he doesn't throw it because he doesn't trust it. His control also is sporadic, and even when he throws strikes he doesn't always locate his pitches well. With his fastball and slider, Morillo has a chance to ascend quickly once he makes that transition from thrower to pitcher. He could skip a level and start 2005 in high Class A.
After two seasons in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, Morillo came to the United States last summer and created much more excitement than his statistics would indicate. He struggled early with the cultural differences, but began to turn things around at the end of the season and then in instructional league. Morillo has a big-time fastball. He usually pitches in the mid-90s and will hit 98-99 mph a few times each game. He has a free arm action and, when he follows through, great extension. He already has drawn comparisons to Bartolo Colon at the same stages of their careers. Morillo's hard slider is inconsistent but shows upside. He's learning a changeup and needs to throw a lot more strikes. He's a long-range projection who has the fastball to close games and the potential to develop into a frontline starter. The Rockies may play it conservatively and send him to short-season Tri-City in 2004.

Minor League Top Prospects

Among the group of young arms starting to make an impact in Colorado, Morillo distinguishes himself as the hardest thrower. After spending most of the 2006 season pitching in Tulsa's rotation, he returned to the Drillers and worked exclusively out of the bullpen, the role he seems best suited for. Morillo can comfortably throw the ball in the high 90s, and he touched 101 mph this year. His new role allowed him to discard his changeup and focus on his slider, which was much more reliable this season and in turn helped his fastball be even more effective. He also was more consistent in the strike zone while pitching in relief. The key for Morillo to make the leap to the big leagues and possibly become a closer will come in bringing his best effort and preparation to the ballpark every day. He did a better job of that as a reliever than he did as a starter.
Morillo's raw stuff compares with that of anyone in baseball, and he harnessed it enough to make his big league debut in September. As that brief experience showed, however, he has a lot of rough edges to smooth out before he can win a spot on a big league pitching staff. When he does, most managers think it will be as a reliever because he has one devastating pitch. Morillo first gained attention in 2004 when reports came out that his fastball was clocked at 104 mph. While that was an aberration, if not an outright tall tale, he does touch triple digits often and pitches consistently in the mid- to high 90s. He throws a curveball and a changeup, but still doesn't throw them for strikes consistently enough. Some managers also think Morillo's lanky frame would be better suited for bullpen work. Whatever role he gravitates toward, he needs to smooth out his mechanics so he can better repeat his delivery. While he tied for the TL lead in wins (12) and ranked third in strikeouts (132 in 140 innings), he also finished first in walks (80).
Though he had yet to play full-season ball, the Rockies protected Morillo on their 40-man roster in the offseason. They hastened his timetable in 2005, sending him to the Cal League after just six weeks in low Class A. Morillo has one of the more electric arms in the minors, sitting at 95-98 mph and hitting triple digits with his fastball on several occasions. While his velocity is eye-popping, he offers little in the way of secondary pitches or control. "The fastball is tremendous," an AL scout said, "but what else is there?" Morillo has problems commanding his fastball and led the league in walks. When he does throw strikes, he's often up in the zone, leaving him vulnerable to homers. He overthrows his upper-80s slider, robbing him of break, and rarely throws his changeup, which lacks deception.
Morillo has been pitching for just three years but already lights up three digits on radar guns. His inexperience was evident in a rushed, rare-back-and-fire delivery the Tri-City staff had to overhaul, but the results are encouraging. His fastball got into the upper-90s in every outing but remains a bit too straight. Morillo scrapped his curveball for a hard slider that zooms in at 86 mph. He's also developed a feel for a changeup, but that pitch registers 85 mph and needs to be tweaked for more separation from his power pitches. Control is an issue; Morillo ranked second in the league in walks in addition to finishing fourth in strikeouts and ERA. "He's effectively wild," Gideon said. "You don't know where it's going and then he'll bring one right down the middle and you can't touch it."
Pay no attention to Morillo's record. He was making his U.S. debut after two years in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and was overmatched. He doesn't have much more than a fastball now, but it's quite a fastball, sitting at 95-96 mph and touching 99. If he can develop a better curveball, changeup and command, he'll be one to watch. "He's very crude at this point and needs to work on his overall game," Carey said. "He needs to understand situational pitching and add some confidence. I believe those things will come as soon as he gets a little more experience."