Gareth Morgan
| AB | 1687 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .207 |
| OBP | .278 |
| SLG | .389 |
| HR | 70 |
- Full name Gareth Morgan
- Born 04/12/1996 in Toronto, ON, Canada
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 265 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School North Toronto Collegiate
-
Drafted in the CB-B round (74th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2014 (signed for $2,000,000).
View Draft Report
Morgan has been a heralded prospect for years, playing in the Under Armour Game as a rising sophomore and playing on the Canadian National Team and Langley Blaze. Morgan looks the part in a uniform with a major league body at a muscular 6-foot-4, 231 pounds. The righthanded-hitter has above-average bat speed and his raw power ranks among the best in the class with a 70 grade. His ability to get to that power remains in question with serious swing and miss concerns. A pull-oriented hitter, Morgan's pitch recognition has improved this spring but he struggles with secondary stuff and expanding the zone. His speed has slowed to a well below-average runner, limiting him to a corner. His arm can be inconsistent but flashes plus, leaving some to believe he fits the classic right field profile. Others have seen an average arm that fits best in left, while his athleticism should allow him to be a solid defender at either position. Young for the class, Morgan is committed to North Carolina State.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
The Mariners made Morgan the highest Canadian player off the board in the 2014 draft, one year after they did the same with Tyler O'Neill. Morgan, signed for $2 million, has the same power potential, with an easy swing that sends balls soaring when he makes contact. Unfortunately, that has not come often over his first two professional seasons. Morgan didn't fare much better in his second tour of the Rookie-level Arizona League last season than he had in his first, topping the circuit by a wide margin with 89 strikeouts (37 percent of his plate appearances). Strike-zone discipline is Morgan's main failing. He struggles to recognize pitches coming out of a pitcher's hand, lacks an approach and takes an aggressive mentality that has left him vulnerable even against pitchers with rudimentary breaking balls. Morgan spent four years with Canada's junior national team playing against top competition, so his struggles in the Arizona League are disconcerting. He has the defensive flexibility to play all three outfield spots, but his below-average speed will limit him long-term to a corner. He has plenty of arm strength to stick in right field. He's not ready for full-season ball but could get a change of scenery in the Northwest League next season. -
By taking Morgan, a Toronto prep product, in the second round of the 2014 draft, a year after selecting Tyler O'Neill, the Mariners have taken the first Canadian off the board in back-to-back years. Morgan, like O'Neill, played for Team Canada's junior national team. The Mariners signed Morgan out of the supplemental second round for $2 million. Morgan had a big league body as a high school junior, which, coupled with his mature strength, gives him plus-plus raw power. The ball flies off his bat when he connects squarely. Morgan had made significant strides over the final year of his amateur career as he started to recognize breaking balls more often. His bat suffered a relapse in his pro debut. Morgan played some center field in his debut, but he's already a below-average runner who will only slow down further. The real question is whether his strong but erratic arm will play in right. Morgan has the ceiling of an impact everyday player, but his contact issues are troubling. He probably won't be ready for low Class A Clinton in 2015.
Draft Prospects
-
Morgan has been a heralded prospect for years, playing in the Under Armour Game as a rising sophomore and playing on the Canadian National Team and Langley Blaze. Morgan looks the part in a uniform with a major league body at a muscular 6-foot-4, 231 pounds. The righthanded-hitter has above-average bat speed and his raw power ranks among the best in the class with a 70 grade. His ability to get to that power remains in question with serious swing and miss concerns. A pull-oriented hitter, Morgan's pitch recognition has improved this spring but he struggles with secondary stuff and expanding the zone. His speed has slowed to a well below-average runner, limiting him to a corner. His arm can be inconsistent but flashes plus, leaving some to believe he fits the classic right field profile. Others have seen an average arm that fits best in left, while his athleticism should allow him to be a solid defender at either position. Young for the class, Morgan is committed to North Carolina State.
