Jose Morales
| AB | 218 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .289 |
| OBP | .365 |
| SLG | .344 |
| HR | 0 |
- Full name Jose Guillermo Morales
- Born 02/20/1983 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: S / Throws: R
- School Academy La Providencia
- Debut 09/08/2007
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Drafted in the 3rd round (77th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2001 (signed for $490,000).
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Morales has solid tools across the board for a shortstop, except for his speed. He runs a 6.8-second 60-yard dash, which is just average for the position, and he's slow getting out of the batter's box. On the positive side, he's a switch-hitter who can handle the bat. Defensively, he has a strong arm and dependable hands.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Morales' patience was rewarded in 2009. He made it to the major leagues in his ninth season in the organization, and it looks like he'll stay as Joe Mauer's backup. Morales earned significant playing time in the September stretch run and got a spot on the playoff roster, six years after the move that made his career--switching from infielder to catcher. His defensive shortcomings have kept him off prospect lists in the past, and he's still not an ideal backup from a defensive standpoint. He's a solid receiver with a fringy arm that produces 2.0-2.1 second pop times. He used to run OK for a catcher before left ankle injuries that ended his 2007 and 2008 seasons. Morales stands out more at the plate. In his three seasons in Triple-A, he hit .319 in 861 at-bats. He continued to make contact in the majors, batting .311 and drawing walks as well. He has good hands, trusts them and isn't afraid to let the ball get deep. He uses the whole field and has the bat speed to keep pitchers honest when they try to come inside. He doesn't have a lot of power, though he can drive some balls to the gaps. Morales is cheap and has useful skills as a switch-hitter who can contribute offensively. -
Once the Twins convinced Morales he wasn't going to fulfill his aspirations of becoming the next Roberto Alomar, he began to thrive as a catcher. He moved from second base in instructional league following the 2002 season. Despite Minnesota's lack of middle-infield depth, he was getting heavy in his lower half and losing the quickness needed at second. His above-average raw arm strength and good hands are well-suited for catching. He still has to get used to the rigors of catching after missing most of May and August with nagging back injuries last season. He threw out 29 percent of basestealers in the Midwest League, an admirable rate for a first-time catcher in a full-season circuit. At the plate, he shows line-drive, gap-hitting ability and enough bat for a catcher. His biggest need offensively is to show more patience. Morales' name comes up a lot in trade talks but Minnesota wants to hold onto him. He'll return to high Class A, where he was raking in 2003 before straining his back.
