2023 MLB Draft Profile: Yohandy Morales
It’s no secret that not all of these prospects are going to pan out. Some guys flourish and some just don’t have what it takes. Unfortunately for Yohandy Morales, I tend to believe he falls more into bust territory. I’d love to be wrong but I can’t just say all of these kids are going to pan out as MLB players. Let’s check out his 2023 MLB Draft profile deeper to examine why, shall we?
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45
The thing I’m most concerned with about Yohandy Morales is his weak hit tool. At 45/80 it’s clear that scouts want to see more from Morales as a pure hitter. He is a very aggressive hitter which has its pluses and minuses. Leading to inflated strikeouts but allows him to drive more baseballs than most.
While the raw power is clearly there, he seems to rely on it too much and focuses too much on the long ball. Which is part of his problem in being an overly aggressive hitter at times. He overall just chases too many itches which is a concerning trait to have before even being drafted.
Now the hit tool isn’t all bad for Yohandy Morales. He has the raw power scouts love, but seemingly neutralizes it at times with how aggressive is at the plate. That power allows him to drive the ball to all parts of the field which is always a trait teams are looking for.
If he can just become more patient at the plate and wait for his pitch, his hit tool can see drastic improvements. But if he takes this aggressive approach to the minors, then he will simply get eaten alive.
On the defensive side at the hot corner, there is actually a lot to like. As a former shortstop, he clearly has the glove to hold down the position. He also has a plus arm which should further allow him to hold down the hot corner. His power and arm profile him well as a third baseman, should a team keep him there. There are talks of his potentially playing first but I think the glove is overall too good to waste it at first.
Overall, while Yohandy Morales is far from a perfect prospect I do see potential room for improvement. He will need more time than a lot of these other kids I’ve covered, but sometimes guys just need more time to develop–there’s nothing wrong with that.
I think some years in the minors could really benefit him and allow him to develop his hit tool. He becomes a more patient hitter and learns to draw more walks and I think he can be an effective big-league hitter.
The defense is already there, but the bat still needs some serious work. I’m just worried it will be too much for him to overcome causing the bat to never develop. But I’m not a scout, so Yohandy Morales will likely end up being the next Pete Rose just to spite me.
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