Michael Morales

Morales draws scouts in with a polished delivery for a high school pitcher. It's smooth, easy and under control with arm action that's loose and fluid. It's a simple, repeatable delivery that he's had for years, with a fastball that reached the low 90s as a sophomore. His stuff has ticked up a little bit since then, but it's mostly still in that range. He operates at 90-93 mph on his best days with the ability to reach 94, though at other times he's been more 88-91 mph. His fastball has good life to it, especially when he pitches up in the zone. Morales also shows natural feel to spin a sharp 77-80 mph curveball, a solid-average pitch that could be plus as he refines its shape and consistency. Some scouts have seen Morales show feel for a changeup, with the arm action and ability to manipulate his stuff that bodes well for the development of it, though others haven't seen much from that pitch yet. Morales has good pitchabilty for his age and his delivery looks conducive to throwing strikes, though some scouts have seen bouts of inconsistent control from him. Morales isn't overpowering and doesn't have quite as much physical projection as some other prominent prep righthanders, but he's a comfortable bet to stick as a starter, so some scouts prefer him to other pitchers who throw harder now but have more reliever risk.