Eddie Morlan
| IP | 513 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.333 |
| WHIP | 1.265 |
| BB/9 | 3.368 |
| SO/9 | 9.368 |
- Full name Eduardo Morlan
- Born 03/01/1986 in Havana, Cuba
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Coral Park
-
Drafted in the 3rd round (91st overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2004 (signed for $420,000).
View Draft Report
RHP Eduardo Morlan has shown a fastball that touches the 93-94 mph range. Morlan also has a good, durable body and profiles as a workhorse.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
In his first season in the Rays organization after coming over from the Twins the Delmon Young/Matt Garza trade, Morlan wasn't as overpowering as he had been in the past. He did appear in the Futures Game, where he caught the eye of Brewers special assistant Dick Groch. That led to Milwaukee selecting Morlan in the major league Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings. He cost the club $50,000, and he has to stay on the big league roster throughout 2009 or else be place on waivers and offered back to Tampa Bay for half the draft price. It's not that the Rays didn't him value as a prospect, but with a World Series club and a deep farm system, they didn't have room for him on their 40-man roster. Morlan regularly throws in the low 90s and touches 94 mph. His slider wasn't as crisp last season as it was in the past, but it's a strikeout pitch with two-plane depth when it's on. He does a good job of throwing strikes and his stuff was sharper in the Puerto Rican League this winter. That gives the Brewers hope that Morlan can fill the seventh- or eighth-inning role Guillermo Mota handled for them last season. -
Born in Cuba, Morlan moved with his parents to Spain and then at age 12 to Miami, where he emerged as one of south Florida's top high school pitchers. While he flashed three pitches in high school, the Twins moved him to the bullpen in 2006. He had one of the biggest arms in the Minnesota system, with a fastball that touches 97 mph and a mid-80s slider. He loses fastball command when he works in the mid-90s, however, and the Twins had him focus on command and averaging 92-93 mph. His fastball lacks life, and Morland still struggles to command the strike zone because of persistent overthrowing and over-rotating in his delivery. His slider remains a plus pitch, and at times it has excellent two-plane depth, making it a true strikeout offering. While he had success in the Arizona Fall League, with 12 scoreless outings, he walked six in 13 innings, and Minnesota believed his command issues limit his ceiling to setup man rather than closer. That's a key reason why the Twins included him in the six-player trade that centered around Delmon Young and Matt Garza in the offseason. Morlan should have a chance to make Tampa Bay's big league bullpen in the spring, but more likely he's headed for Double-A to continue work on his command. -
The Twins still have high hopes for most of the pitchers from their deep 2004 draft, and Morlan may have the most arm strength of any of them. Born in Cuba, he arrived with his family in Miami when he was 12 during a relaxation in visa rules for Cubans in the late 1990s, though they had to make a detour through Spain. Morlan's fastball and hard breaking ball, usually described as a slider, can both be power pitches. His fastball has reached 97 mph and he throws his slider in the mid-80s, and at times he dominated. In the five starts when he pitched at least seven innings, he gave up just 17 hits and struck out 47. But Morlan is still learning to pitch and to have consistent stuff every time out. Most of the season, his average fastball velocity was right at 90, and he usually topped out at 92-93 mph. He's learning to take a little off his fastball and slider and not throw every pitch as hard as he can. His high-effort delivery and power repertoire profile him for the back of a bullpen, and if he makes the switch full-time in 2007, he could move quickly. He'll start at high Class A. -
Just before Morlan signed for $420,000 as a third-round pick in 2004, the Twins discovered he had an enlarged heart. He was shut down for a month until the condition was analyzed sufficiently, then he mowed through the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Used as a reliever mostly in 2004, he moved into the rotation in his first pro season. Morlan pitched at 90-92 mph and topped out at 94, down a few ticks from his debut. He stayed back in the extended spring program at the start of the year to master a changeup, and he took to it fairly well. He also shows a hard curveball that can be devastating at times. His high-torque delivery deserted him in the middle of the season, but he got it back and continued to make improvements through instructional league. He reminds some of a young Juan Rincon, and a move back to the bullpen remains possible down the road. Morlan figures to open 2006 in low Class A, though he could be pushed to high Class A. -
Another of area scout Brad Weitzel's finds, Morlan comes from the same Coral Park High (Miami) program that produced Jose Canseco. Just before Morlan signed for $420,000, the Twins diagnosed him with an enlarged heart. He was shut down for a month until the condition was analyzed sufficiently, then he got down to business in the Gulf Coast League. In part because of the layoff, Morlan was the hardest thrower for the Twins at instructional league, regularly pitching at 93 mph and peaking at 95-96. He has a big body, an aggressive approach and a high-intensity, high-torque delivery that leaves some observers nervous. The combination of his hard sinking fastball and power slider have some thinking that his future lies in short relief. Morlan has tried to throw a changeup but hasn't grown comfortable with it yet. He might not ever gain the touch on a changeup because he has a full-effort delivery. He could open 2005 either in extended spring training or in the bullpen in low Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
Morlan is the rare Cuban pitching prospect who's not a defector, as he emigrated with his family to Miami when he was 12. He made an easy transition to a full-time reliever this season and was rewarded for his solid work with a late promotion to Double-A. Morlan has a solid frame with a relatively thick lower half. His high-effort, three-quarters delivery led to the move to the bullpen, where his power stuff should allow him to work as a setup man or closer. He attacks hitters with an 89-93 mph fastball, a plus curveball and an average slider. His fastball has quality life, which allows him to bust righthanders inside with regularity. -
When he was at his very best, Morlan ranked with the top pitchers in the league. One scout said Morlan turned in one of the three best performances he saw all year, along with Adenhart and Cueto. Cedar Rapids manager Bobby Magallanes said Morlan touched 97 mph in the ninth inning of an 11-strikeout complete game. He began the season in the bullpen, and that may be his long-term destination. His fastball usually sits in the low 90s but he's still seeking a consistent second pitch. He owns a mid-80s slider that shows flashes of bite and a developing changeup. Morlan has a quick arm and a smooth delivery that he repeats easily. He tends to drop his elbow, which causes his pitches to flatten out and arrive higher in the strike zone. He missed most of July with a sore shoulder but returned to pitch 22 scoreless innings over his final four starts.
