Yohanse Morel

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #30 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Morel was acquired by the Royals as one of three prospects in the deal for big league reliever Kelvin Herrera. He draws comparisons to Herrera for having a live arm with big velocity from a smaller frame. After starting the year in extended spring training at age 18, Morel went to low Class A Lexington for the remainder of the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morel has feel to pitch and a competitive nature on the mound. The fastball sits 91-95 mph and he uses both a four-seamer and a two-seamer, with the latter being his preference to get grounders. He needs to improve the command of his fastball, especially to the inside part of the plate. Morel complements his fastballs with a wipeout 81-84 mph slider that flashes plus, a swing-and-miss pitch held like a spike curveball that he tunnels well to the plate with late break. Rounding out Morel's bag of tricks is a hard changeup at 86-88 mph that drops into the zone from the same arm slot and arm speed as the fastball. Both the fastball and the changeup are plus pitches.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morel will be only 19 for most of the 2020 season, so a return to Lexington is likely. He could thrive in a bullpen role pitching in shorter stints, but that decision is years away.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #19 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Morel had barely started his career in the Nationals' organization, pitching just one game in the Dominican Summer League before being one of three prospects acquired by the Royals in exchange for major league reliever Kelvin Herrera in June 2018. He immediately headed west to make his Royals debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League, pitching most of the summer at age 17.
  
  Scouting Report: Morel is not physically big, coincidentally drawing comparisons to Herrera at the same age because of the way his arm works and the potential for added velocity. He's a fierce competitor on the mound, delivering his pitches with an athletic, loose power arm. Morel's 90-93 mph fastball, which touches 95 mph, has late life and the chance to play up, but it gets flat at times resulting in hard contact. His slurvy breaking ball--a hard pitch with bigger shape--flashed plus at times but projects as more of an average pitch. Morel's changeup was an above-average pitch in the AZL but then flashed plus potential during instructional league. He improved his command in the fall by better repeating the finish and delivery of his pitches. Morel shows a good aptitude to learn.
  
  The Future: Most scouts in the Arizona League projected Morel as a future reliever because he commanded his pitches better in shorter bursts, but he has the arsenal to be a starting pitcher with plenty of developmental years ahead. He'll need another year of short-season ball in 2019.

• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Morel was acquired by the Royals as one of three prospects in the deal for big league reliever Kelvin Herrera. He draws comparisons to Herrera for having a live arm with big velocity from a smaller frame. After starting the year in extended spring training at age 18, Morel went to low Class A Lexington for the remainder of the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morel has feel to pitch and a competitive nature on the mound. The fastball sits 91-95 mph and he uses both a four-seamer and a two-seamer, with the latter being his preference to get grounders. He needs to improve the command of his fastball, especially to the inside part of the plate. Morel complements his fastballs with a wipeout 81-84 mph slider that flashes plus, a swing-and-miss pitch held like a spike curveball that he tunnels well to the plate with late break. Rounding out Morel's bag of tricks is a hard changeup at 86-88 mph that drops into the zone from the same arm slot and arm speed as the fastball. Both the fastball and the changeup are plus pitches.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morel will be only 19 for most of the 2020 season, so a return to Lexington is likely. He could thrive in a bullpen role pitching in shorter stints, but that decision is years away.