Adrian Morejon

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #6 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Padres’ biggest prize from their 2016-17 international spending spree, Morejon became a prospect to watch on Cuba’s junior national team and signed with the Padres for a franchise-record $11 million. Various injuries have since limited him to 196.1 innings over five years as a pro, including an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery last April after he opened the year in the Padres’ starting rotation.
  
  Scouting Report: Morejon has premium stuff from the left side that includes a 94-96 mph fastball that can touch 99 with ease, albeit with scattershot command. Morejon pairs that offering with a sweeping, 79-82 mph curveball, two variations of a changeup—a traditional one with sink and run and a diving knuckle-change that gets swings and misses—an emerging slider and a sinker he began throwing in 2021. Morejon has spent most of his big league time in the Padres bullpen, which might be his ultimate landing spot if he can’t shake the durability concerns that have dogged him since he signed. He has now spent time on the injured list with injuries to his forearm, triceps, elbow and shoulder at various points and has yet to pitch more than 65 innings in a season.
  
  The Future: Morejon will be slow-played as he returns from surgery and is tentatively slated to return to the mound in the second half of the 2022 season. The Padres continue to dream of developing him as a starter, but that goal is a long way off.
  
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #4 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 50 . Changeup: 60. Curveball: 60. Control: 45.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Morejon was the star pitcher on Cuba’s junior national teams and signed with the Padres for a franchise-record $11 million in 2016. He battled a series of arm injuries after signing, including a season-ending shoulder injury after his major league debut in 2019, but he stayed healthy in 2020 and posted a 4.66 ERA as a long reliever and spot starter for the Padres.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morejon has long had premium stuff from the left side. His fastball sits 94-96 mph as a starter and touches 99 in short bursts with remarkably little effort. He’s begun repeating his release point on his 79-82 mph curveball to make it a consistent plus offering that sweeps across the plate and finishes with sharp, late drop at the bottom of the strike zone. Morejon has a traditional changeup with sink and run, but his diving, swing-and-miss knuckle-change is the better offspeed pitch and has taken a more prominent role in his arsenal. He also introduced a vertical slider in 2020 that shows promise but is the clear final pitch in his arsenal. Morejon pitched with more confidence and improved his strike-throwing in his second stint in the majors, but he’s still working on fastball command. He frequently leaves his fastball up over the plate and gets hit hard. He also has never pitched more than 65.1 innings in a season.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morejon has potent stuff, but his durability and command are questions. He will try to win a rotation spot in 2021.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #6 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Morejon pitched Cuba to the gold medal at the 2014 15U World Cup with a complete game victory over the U.S. The Padres signed him two years later for $11 million, a franchise record for an amateur player. Morejon struggled with injuries every year since signing, but he still jumped from Double-A to the majors last year as a 20-year-old. He got hit hard in five appearances before suffering a season-ending left shoulder impingement.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morejon tantalizes with premium raw stuff. His fastball sits 94-96 and touches 98 mph with startlingly little effort, and when his arm slot is right he snaps off plus low-80s curveballs that draw swings and misses below the strike zone. His traditional changeup flashes plus with fade, and he has a knuckle-change that acts like a splitter. Morejon's issue is he often spins out of his rotational delivery, leaving his fastball over the plate and pulling his secondaries out of the strike zone. His delivery also puts tremendous strain on his shoulder and upper arm and is the root of his injury problems. He has yet to pitch more than 65.1 innings in a season.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morejon has plenty of stuff, but his below-average command and durability make it questionable he will ever reach his mid-rotation ceiling.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #5 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Morejon pitched Cuba to the gold medal at the 2014 15-and-under World Cup in Mexico City, winning MVP with a complete-game victory over the United States in the championship game. Two years later, the Padres signed Morejon for $11 million the day after MLB declared him a free agent. Morejon embarked on his first full season in 2018 with high Class A Lake Elsinore and earned plaudits as the California League's No. 1 pitching prospect, but flexor soreness followed by triceps discomfort limited him to just two starts after the all-star break.
  
  Scouting Report: As expected when he signed, Morejon has grown into his frame and added significant velocity. Now a sturdy 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, Morejon sits 93-96 mph on his fastball and touches 98 with impressive ease. At one point he had trouble commanding his high-spin curveball, but in mid-May he found the right arm stroke and release point and began breaking it off as a second plus pitch, drawing chases below the zone. His traditional changeup with fade flashes plus and is better than his knuckle-change, but both are weapons. Morejon's control is his weak point, leaving his fastball up and losing his curveball feel on occasion.
  
  The Future: Morejon draws comparisons to Carlos Rodon as a big-bodied lefty with potent stuff. Like Rodon, Morejon has struggled to stay healthy. He'll try to reach 70 innings for the first time in 2019.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #5 prospect in 2018
  Morejon became a hot commodity after pitching Cuba to the gold medal at the 2015 15U World Cup in Mexico City, delivering a complete-game victory with 12 strikeouts against a United States lineup that included 2017 No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis. The Padres signed Morejon for a franchise-record $11 million when he became eligible in July 2016, and he delivered a solid showing in his debut, finishing at low Class A Fort Wayne. Morejon draws praise for his intangibles and poise as much as his stuff. He has an advanced understanding of how to set up hitters, mix his pitches and exploit weaknesses. His stuff isn't too shabby either. Morejon's fastball sits 91-93 mph and touches 95 in his starts and works 94-96 in short bursts. He throws two changeups that flash plus, one a diving knuckle-change and the other a traditional change with sink and run. His curveball shows above-average spin and power, but he gets rotational and his arm drags at times when throwing it, peeling toward third base in his delivery and causing him to lose the strike zone. The same delivery flaw results in inconsistent fastball command. Morejon is advanced for his age but still has work to do with his delivery and overall durability. He has never pitched more than 63 innings in a season and showed signs of fatigue at the end of his pro debut. He'll head to high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2018.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #5 prospect in 2017
  Morejon jumped on the international radar when he was named MVP of the 15U World Cup in 2014 while pitching for the Cuban national team. His biggest moment came in the gold-medal game, when he threw 124 pitches in a complete-game, 6-3 victory against the U.S. with 12 strikeouts and one walk. Morejon became a talent considered on par with any top-10 draft pick, and the Padres signed him for an eye-popping $11 million in July 2016. Morejon throws a 91-93 mph fastball that touches 96 with an athletic, easy delivery that portends more velocity as the teen southpaw's body matures. His ability to spin a future plus curveball draws the highest praise from scouts, and he throws two different changeups--one a knuckle-change with late diving action and the other a more traditional changeup with sink and run. Both project above-average. Morejon's above-average command, stuff, arm action and feel for pitching are all advanced for his age and make few opposing evaluators doubt the wisdom of signing him, though some shied away from the price tag. The Padres compare Morejon with the Dodgers' Julio Urias, while scouts outside the organization compare his delivery and stuff with Padres 2012 first-rounder Max Fried. Morejon is targeted for 100 innings in 2017 and will begin the year in extended spring training.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked California League #2 prospect in 2018
  Morejon made only two starts in the second half due to flexor soreness followed by triceps discomfort, but he tantalized in the first half. Morejon received votes for Best Fastball, Best Breaking Pitch and Best Changeup in Best Tools balloting, a well-rounded arsenal no one else could match. His fastball sat 94-96 mph, his two distinct changeups kept opponents off-balance, and he took off once he found the right arm stroke and release point on his curveball in mid-May. “His fastball plays up a couple ticks with just kind of the ease of the stroke, and especially when he lands his breaking ball it’s a challenge for hitters to be able to manufacture at-bats,” Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said. “To do that at age 19 is definitely something that will make you turn your head a little bit.” Morejon’s command of his curveball still needs to be sharpened and durability remains a longstanding concern. Still, at his best observers saw a power lefthander with mid-to-front of the rotation potential.
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #5 prospect in 2017
  Morejon first emerged when he was named the MVP of the 15U World Cup in Mexico in 2015, and he was one of the top international targets in July 2016. The Padres splurged on the Cuban lefty, signing him for $11 million--the largest bonus in the signing period and the largest in club history. Poised beyond his years, the 18-year-old Morejon didn't show much trouble adjusting to American competition, earning a callup to low Class A Fort Wayne after going 2-2, 3.57 in 35.1 innings with Tri-City. The southpaw sits in the low 90s with movement, reaching back for up to 96 mph when he needs it. He complements the pitch with a well-rounded arsenal that includes a potential plus curveball and two different changeups. Beyond his raw stuff, Morejon impressed scouts and league managers most with his precocious intelligence on the mound and his above-average command. He issued just three walks and displayed excellent pitching feel, reading opponents' swings and showing the confidence to throw offspeed pitches in any count.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #76 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #89 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #52 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #66 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #98 prospect in 2017

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: The Padres&#39 biggest prize from their 2016-17 international spending spree, Morejon became a prospect to watch on Cuba&#39s junior national team and signed with the Padres for a franchise-record $11 million. Various injuries have since limited him to 196.1 innings over five years as a pro, including an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery last April after he opened the year in the Padres&#39 starting rotation.
  
  Scouting Report: Morejon has premium stuff from the left side that includes a 94-96 mph fastball that can touch 99 with ease, albeit with scattershot command. Morejon pairs that offering with a sweeping, 79-82 mph curveball, two variations of a changeup—a traditional one with sink and run and a diving knuckle-change that gets swings and misses—an emerging slider and a sinker he began throwing in 2021. Morejon has spent most of his big league time in the Padres bullpen, which might be his ultimate landing spot if he can&#39t shake the durability concerns that have dogged him since he signed. He has now spent time on the injured list with injuries to his forearm, triceps, elbow and shoulder at various points and has yet to pitch more than 65 innings in a season.
  
  The Future: Morejon will be slow-played as he returns from surgery and is tentatively slated to return to the mound in the second half of the 2022 season. The Padres continue to dream of developing him as a starter, but that goal is a long way off.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 45. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 40.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Padres’ biggest prize from their 2016-17 international spending spree, Morejon became a prospect to watch on Cuba’s junior national team and signed with the Padres for a franchise-record $11 million. Various injuries have since limited him to 196.1 innings over five years as a pro, including an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery last April after he opened the year in the Padres’ starting rotation.
  
  Scouting Report: Morejon has premium stuff from the left side that includes a 94-96 mph fastball that can touch 99 with ease, albeit with scattershot command. Morejon pairs that offering with a sweeping, 79-82 mph curveball, two variations of a changeup—a traditional one with sink and run and a diving knuckle-change that gets swings and misses—an emerging slider and a sinker he began throwing in 2021. Morejon has spent most of his big league time in the Padres bullpen, which might be his ultimate landing spot if he can’t shake the durability concerns that have dogged him since he signed. He has now spent time on the injured list with injuries to his forearm, triceps, elbow and shoulder at various points and has yet to pitch more than 65 innings in a season.
  
  The Future: Morejon will be slow-played as he returns from surgery and is tentatively slated to return to the mound in the second half of the 2022 season. The Padres continue to dream of developing him as a starter, but that goal is a long way off.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 50 . Changeup: 60. Curveball: 60. Control: 45.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Morejon was the star pitcher on Cuba's junior national teams and signed with the Padres for a franchise-record $11 million in 2016. He battled a series of arm injuries after signing, including a season-ending shoulder injury after his major league debut in 2019, but he stayed healthy in 2020 and posted a 4.66 ERA as a long reliever and spot starter for the Padres.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morejon has long had premium stuff from the left side. His fastball sits 94-96 mph as a starter and touches 99 in short bursts with remarkably little effort. He's begun repeating his release point on his 79-82 mph curveball to make it a consistent plus offering that sweeps across the plate and finishes with sharp, late drop at the bottom of the strike zone. Morejon has a traditional changeup with sink and run, but his diving, swing-and-miss knuckle-change is the better offspeed pitch and has taken a more prominent role in his arsenal. He also introduced a vertical slider in 2020 that shows promise but is the clear final pitch in his arsenal. Morejon pitched with more confidence and improved his strike-throwing in his second stint in the majors, but he's still working on fastball command. He frequently leaves his fastball up over the plate and gets hit hard. He also has never pitched more than 65.1 innings in a season.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morejon has potent stuff, but his durability and command are questions. He will try to win a rotation spot in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 50 . Changeup: 60. Curveball: 60. Control: 45.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Morejon was the star pitcher on Cuba’s junior national teams and signed with the Padres for a franchise-record $11 million in 2016. He battled a series of arm injuries after signing, including a season-ending shoulder injury after his major league debut in 2019, but he stayed healthy in 2020 and posted a 4.66 ERA as a long reliever and spot starter for the Padres.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morejon has long had premium stuff from the left side. His fastball sits 94-96 mph as a starter and touches 99 in short bursts with remarkably little effort. He’s begun repeating his release point on his 79-82 mph curveball to make it a consistent plus offering that sweeps across the plate and finishes with sharp, late drop at the bottom of the strike zone. Morejon has a traditional changeup with sink and run, but his diving, swing-and-miss knuckle-change is the better offspeed pitch and has taken a more prominent role in his arsenal. He also introduced a vertical slider in 2020 that shows promise but is the clear final pitch in his arsenal. Morejon pitched with more confidence and improved his strike-throwing in his second stint in the majors, but he’s still working on fastball command. He frequently leaves his fastball up over the plate and gets hit hard. He also has never pitched more than 65.1 innings in a season.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morejon has potent stuff, but his durability and command are questions. He will try to win a rotation spot in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 50 . Changeup: 60. Curveball: 60. Control: 45.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Morejon was the star pitcher on Cuba’s junior national teams and signed with the Padres for a franchise-record $11 million in 2016. He battled a series of arm injuries after signing, including a season-ending shoulder injury after his major league debut in 2019, but he stayed healthy in 2020 and posted a 4.66 ERA as a long reliever and spot starter for the Padres.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morejon has long had premium stuff from the left side. His fastball sits 94-96 mph as a starter and touches 99 in short bursts with remarkably little effort. He’s begun repeating his release point on his 79-82 mph curveball to make it a consistent plus offering that sweeps across the plate and finishes with sharp, late drop at the bottom of the strike zone. Morejon has a traditional changeup with sink and run, but his diving, swing-and-miss knuckle-change is the better offspeed pitch and has taken a more prominent role in his arsenal. He also introduced a vertical slider in 2020 that shows promise but is the clear final pitch in his arsenal. Morejon pitched with more confidence and improved his strike-throwing in his second stint in the majors, but he’s still working on fastball command. He frequently leaves his fastball up over the plate and gets hit hard. He also has never pitched more than 65.1 innings in a season.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morejon has potent stuff, but his durability and command are questions. He will try to win a rotation spot in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Morejon pitched Cuba to the gold medal at the 2014 15U World Cup with a complete game victory over the U.S. The Padres signed him two years later for $11 million, a franchise record for an amateur player. Morejon struggled with injuries every year since signing, but he still jumped from Double-A to the majors last year as a 20-year-old. He got hit hard in five appearances before suffering a season-ending left should impingement.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morejon tantalizes with premium raw stuff. His fastball sits 94-96 and touches 98 mph with startlingly little effort, and when his arm slot is right he snaps off plus low-80s curveballs that draw swings and misses below the strike zone. His traditional changeup flashes plus with fade, and he has a knuckle-change that acts like a splitter. The issue is Morejon often spins out of his rotational delivery, leaving his fastball over the plate and pulling his secondaries out of the strike zone. His delivery also puts tremendous strain on his shoulder and upper arm and is the root of his injury problems. He has yet to pitch more than 65.1 innings in a season.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morejon has plenty of stuff, but his below-average command and durability draw scrutiny.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Morejon pitched Cuba to the gold medal at the 2014 15U World Cup with a complete game victory over the U.S. The Padres signed him two years later for $11 million, a franchise record for an amateur player. Morejon struggled with injuries every year since signing, but he still jumped from Double-A to the majors last year as a 20-year-old. He got hit hard in five appearances before suffering a season-ending left shoulder impingement.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Morejon tantalizes with premium raw stuff. His fastball sits 94-96 and touches 98 mph with startlingly little effort, and when his arm slot is right he snaps off plus low-80s curveballs that draw swings and misses below the strike zone. His traditional changeup flashes plus with fade, and he has a knuckle-change that acts like a splitter. Morejon's issue is he often spins out of his rotational delivery, leaving his fastball over the plate and pulling his secondaries out of the strike zone. His delivery also puts tremendous strain on his shoulder and upper arm and is the root of his injury problems. He has yet to pitch more than 65.1 innings in a season.
  
  THE FUTURE: Morejon has plenty of stuff, but his below-average command and durability make it questionable he will ever reach his mid-rotation ceiling.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Morejon improved his physical conditioning and now stands a sturdy 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, with an uptick in his stuff as a result. Morejon is sitting 93-95 mph and touches 97 in his starts, and he found consistency with his release point on his curveball a few starts in and began snapping it off as a plus offering. Combined with both a knuckle-change and traditional changeup he can throw for strikes, Morejon is now considered by many to be on par with Gore as the best pitching prospect in the system with his four-pitch arsenal and advanced pitchability.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Morejon became a hot commodity after pitching Cuba to the gold medal at the 2015 15U World Cup, delivering a complete-game victory against a U.S. lineup that included 2017 No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis. The Padres signed Morejon for a franchise-record $11 million when he became eligible in July 2016, and he delivered a solid debut, finishing at low Class A Fort Wayne. Scouting Report: Morejon draws praise for his intangibles and poise as much as his stuff. He has an advanced understanding of how to set up hitters, mix his pitches and exploit weaknesses. His stuff isn't too shabby either. Morejon's fastball sits 91-93 mph and touches 95 in his starts and works 94-96 in short bursts. He throws two changeups that flash plus, one a diving knuckle-change and the other a traditional change with sink and run. His curveball shows above-average spin and power, but he gets rotational and his arm drags on the pitch at times, causing him to lose the strike zone. The same delivery flaw results in inconsistent fastball command. The Future:Morejon is advanced for his age but still has work to do with his delivery and overall durability. He'll head to high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2018.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Morejon jumped on the international radar when he was named MVP of the 15U World Cup in 2014 while pitching for the Cuban national team. His biggest moment came in the gold medal game, when he threw 124 pitches in a complete-game, 6-3 victory against the U.S. with 12 strikeouts and one walk. Morejon became a talent considered on par with any top-10 draft pick, and the Padres signed him for an eye-popping $11 million in July 2016. Scouting Report: Morejon throws a 91-93 mph fastball that touches 96 with an athletic, easy delivery that portends more velocity as the teen southpaw's body matures. His ability to spin a future plus curveball draws the highest praise from scouts, and he throws two different changeups--one a knuckle-change with late diving action and the other a more traditional changeup with sink and run. Both project above-average. Morejon's above-average command, stuff, arm action and feel for pitching are all advanced for his age and make few opposing evaluators doubt the wisdom of signing him, though some shied away from the price tag.
  
  The Future: The Padres compare Morejon with the Dodgers' Julio Urias, while scouts outside the organization compare his delivery and stuff with Padres 2012 first-rounder Max Fried. He is targeted for 100 innings and will begin the year in extended spring training.