The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Barrett Morgan from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, per the MiLB.com transactions log.
Morgan is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 39 prospect, ranking 15th among pitchers in the organization. The 21-year-old right-hander is in his first full professional season after being selected in the 11th round (328th overall) of last summer’s draft out of Cowley College (KS). Instead of transferring to Texas A&M, he signed with the Red Sox for an above-slot $500,000 bonus.
Morgan did not pitch for an affiliate after signing, instead debuting with Salem in early April. In 13 outings (nine starts) for the RidgeYaks, he posted a 2.74 ERA with 46 strikeouts to 18 walks over 46 innings. Opposing Carolina League hitters slashed .176/.258/.242 in 187 plate appearances against him.
After leaving his June 23 start against Myrtle Beach early, Morgan was placed on Salem’s 7-day injured list. The righty rehabbed in Fort Myers before returning to the RidgeYaks earlier this month. He last pitched on August 15, allowing one unearned run on one hit, one walk, and two strikeouts over two innings of relief against Delmarva.
Entering play Wednesday, Morgan was one of 102 pitchers who have thrown at least 45 innings in the Carolina League this season. Among those 102, he ranked fourth in batting average against, sixth in WHIP (1.02), eighth in FIP (3.18), 12th in line-drive rate (19%), 13th in ERA, 32nd in walks per nine (3.52), 36th in walk rate (9.6%), 40th in swinging-strike rate (12.4%), 43rd in strikeout rate (24.6%), and 51st in xFIP (4.43), according to FanGraphs.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Morgan throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the Oklahoma-born hurler features a 92-95 mph fastball that has been up to 97 mph, an 87-89 mph cutter, a 79-83 mph curveball, and an 82-83 mph changeup.
Morgan, who does not turn 22 until next March, is the fourth pitcher from his draft class to make the jump from Salem to Greenville this season, joining eighth-rounder Dylan Brown, ninth-rounder Jacob Mayers, and 16th-rounder Jason Gilman. He should provide the playoff-hopeful Drive with additional pitching depth from the right side down the stretch.
(Picture of Barrett Morgan: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)
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