Cody Morissette

Morissette and his center field teammate Sal Frelick brought plenty of scouts to Boston College to watch the two best college hitters in the Northeast. A hand injury slowed Morissette early in the spring and he re-aggravated it later, which may have taken a toll on his numbers when he returned, but he ended the season with a flourish to hit .321/.398/.497 in 41 games. While Frelick is a more dynamic, quick-twitch athlete with elite speed, Morissette is more steady than flashy, with his hitting ability standing out the most. Morissette has a better pure swing than Frelick. It's a fluid, easy stroke from the left side that's calm, smooth and under control with a compact path to the ball and good bat speed. That helps Morissette square up pitches middle-in consistently, and he generally stays within the strike zone, though he's been vulnerable against sliders at times. Morissette's raw power is fringe-average now with home run juice to his pull side. His swing is conducive to hitting the ball in the air, and with his bat speed, some strength projection remaining and barrel skills, he could get to average power, though it's a hit-over-power profile now. An average runner with an average arm, Morissette played second base this spring and projects to stay there in pro ball, though a team could also try him at third base or possibly the outfield as well in a utility role. Morissette doesn't make the acrobatic, highlight-reel plays or have above-average range, but he's a steady, reliable defender who should fit comfortably at second base.