Brent Morel Stats & Scouting Report

AB	662
AVG	.227
OBP	.273
SLG	.328
HR	13

Full name Brenton Andre Morel
Born 04/21/1987 in Bakersfield, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Debut 09/07/2010
Drafted in the 3rd round (86th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2008 (signed for $440,000).

View Draft Report

Scouts liken Morel to former Poly third baseman Josh Lansford offensively, with some home run power but a more effective approach when he tries to go gap-to-gap, and consider him a better defender. Both could squeeze into the first six rounds if they find the right fit.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

A mature player who has handled every test in three pro seasons, Morel spent September as Chicago's third baseman. He hit .435 to win the Arizona Fall League batting title in 2009, then .322 last season. Morel has a compact, line-drive swing and does an excellent job recognizing pitches and adjusting to how pitchers are working against him. He covers the plate well and doesn't get overly anxious with two strikes, though he sometimes expands the strike zone, which limits his walk totals. He has shown more doubles than home run power, and some scouts question how much pop he'll have in the big leagues unless he adds more loft to his swing. Morel is an intelligent fielder with first-step quickness and a solid arm. He had strictly been a third baseman until moving to shortstop when Dayan Viciedo returned to Charlotte in August, and played errorless defense in 17 games there. He's a below-average runner. Morel has a shot at winning the White Sox's third-base job in 2011. Other options include Mark Teahen, Viciedo and Omar Vizquel, but Morel has more all-around upside than any of them.
The White Sox rated Morel as a second-round talent in the 2008 draft, but they didn't have a pick in that round and were thrilled to get him in the third and sign him for $440,000. He's off to a good start as a pro, hitting .304/.361/.496 in the second half last year at high Class A Winston-Salem before winning the Arizona Fall League batting title with a .435 average. Morel is a manager's dream, with solid tools, outstanding instincts and a blue-collar work ethic. He's one of the system's top pure hitters, making good contact with a compact, line-drive swing. He has excellent pitch recognition and attacks fastballs. He has the power to hit 15 homers per year, and could show more as he matures. He runs well enough for a third baseman and is a good baserunner, but he doesn't project as a basestealer. He's a natural third baseman with first-step quickness and a plus arm. Morel's power is just borderline average for a third baseman. He can be overly aggressive at times, working himself into pitcher's counts. He would benefit from taking more pitches and drawing more walks, though he doesn't strike out a lot. Gordon Beckham's move to second base opens up third for the long term, and Morel could reach Chicago within the next two years. He'll open 2010 in Double-A.
Having lost their second-round pick as compensation for signing free agent Scott Linebrink, the White Sox had to sit out 77 picks after taking Gordon Beckham with the eighth overall choice last June. They rated Morel as a solid second-round talent and were delighted to get him in the third round, where they signed him for $440,000. He signed quickly enough to play 60 games, including 45 in low Class A, and to establish himself as one of the better hitters in the system. Morel has a solid approach at the plate, looks to jump on fastballs and drives the ball from gap to gap. Chicago thinks he'll develop at least average power. He has good pitch recognition, which should help him against advanced pitching. Morel is athletic and runs better than most third basemen. He has good range and a plus arm at the hot corner. The White Sox won't be afraid to push Morel, who should open his first full pro season in high Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Morel's solid if unspectacular skill set helped him climb the ladder from Birmingham to the majors this year, which he finished as the White Sox's regular third baseman in September. He takes a smart, steady approach to the game and has a real feel for what he can and should do on the field. He's a line-drive hitter content to drive the ball from gap to gap. He focuses on making hard contact and doesn't get caught up in trying to lift balls out of the park, though some scouts wonder if that might leave him with below-average home run power for a third baseman. He doesn't strike out excessively, but he also doesn't walk very much. Morel was inconsistently defensively in the SL, though he settled down in Triple-A and the majors. With Birmingham, he would make some spectacular plays and then botch some simple ones, which may have just been a matter of concentration. Though he's a below-average runner, he has good instincts and reactions to go with a strong arm.
Morel hit .326 at Double-A Birmingham and .320 at Charlotte to earn a trip to Chicago in September. He has a mature, line-drive approach, though some IL managers questions his power because he hit just eight homers in 81 games despite playing in a notorious hitter's park. However, he also had 24 doubles and should develop average home run power as he learns to loft the ball. Managers had no quibbles with his work at the hot corner, rating him the best defensive third baseman in the league. He has a strong arm and good instincts, helping him overcome below-average speed. When the White Sox sent Dayan Viciedo down in August, Morel played shortstop for 17 games and didn't make an error.
Scouts and managers use words like "throwback," "old-fashioned" and "blue collar" to describe Morel, whose solid tools play up because of his instincts and feel for the game. He was one of the CL's best hitters after the all-star break, batting .304/.361/.496. Morel puts together quality plate appearances, with managers around the league praising him for his intelligence and preparation. He has a compact, line-drive swing and doesn't strike out much. He mostly works the gaps but has the potential to hit for at least average power in the future. A good defensive third baseman, Morel has first-step quickness, soft hands and a plus arm. He's a solid-average runner with good instincts on the basepaths.