AB | 78 |
---|---|
AVG | .397 |
OBP | .53 |
SLG | .513 |
HR | 1 |
- Full name Nicholas Anthony Morabito
- Born 05/07/2003 in Mclean, VA
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Gonzaga
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Drafted in the 2C round (75th overall) by the New York Mets in 2022 (signed for $1,000,000).
View Draft Report
Pop-ups in the Mid Atlantic seem to be commonplace in recent years and after Jackson Merrill rocketed up draft boards in 2021, Washington D.C. product Nicholas Morabito has done the same in 2022. Morabito wasn’t seen at many of the highest profile summer showcase and travel ball events last summer, so teams will likely have wide ranging opinions on him. However, he is a strong and compact 5-foot-11, 185-pound hitter with plenty of bat speed and strength. He has short levers and is direct and quick to the ball with no extra or wasted movement pre-pitch or during his load. He can naturally wear out the right-center gap and while he has limited physical projection, has shown plus raw power already. Where Morabito will play is perhaps a bigger question. He has played shortstop and center field, but he has below-average arm strength that might limit him to second base if he sticks on the infield. It’s more likely that he moves to the outfield, where his plus running ability could give him a chance to stick in center. Morabito is old for the class and will be 19 on draft day and an eligible sophomore in 2024 if he makes it to campus at Virginia Tech.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.
Track Record: Morabito played high school ball in cold-weather Washington, D.C., and wasn’t a showcase regular. He also was old for his class as a 19-year-old on draft day 2022. The Mets selected him with the second-round compensatory pick they gained when free agent Noah Syndergaard signed with the Angels. Morabito has made remarkable progress in pro ball, despite starting slowly. He remained in extended spring training to begin 2023 before joining the Rookie-level Florida Complex League in June. In 2024, Morabito quickly hit his way out of Low-A and spent the better part of four months at High-A Brooklyn. All told, he led Mets minor leaguers with a .312 average and 59 stolen bases, while his 18.6% strikeout rate was one of the system’s lowest.
Scouting Report: Speed is the name of Morabito’s game. Now, his rapid progress as a hitter and defender in pro ball have captured attention. As he has climbed from Rookie ball to High-A, Morabito has slashed his in-zone miss rate from 16.5% in 2023 to 11% in 2024, which was a top 30 mark at the 450 plate appearance threshold. Emphasizing a contact-based, all-fields approach and letting the ball travel deep has made Morabito a dangerous hitter for average, and one who tends to stay within his strike zone and take his walks. He has the bat speed to occasionally turn on pitches but has just six pro home runs in two-plus seasons. He is solidly built and is working to keep his lower half in hitting position as he finishes his swing, so more power could be in the cards one day. More of a plus runner out of the box, Morabito has the burst and closing speed of a future plus center fielder once he hones his instincts. His below-average arm limits him to left or center field.
The Future: Morabito faces a stern test at Double-A in 2025, but he has the potential for carrying tools in his speed and defense in center field with a chance to hit. He’s a good bet to become at least a fourth outfielder.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 70 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Morabito did not play at the major high school showcases as a rising senior but popped onto radars in 2022 with a big spring at Gonzaga High in downtown Washington, D.C. Mets area scout Joe Raccuia pegged Morabito as a second-round talent early in the spring, and New York ultimately drafted him 75th overall, using the compensatory pick after the second round it gained when Noah Syndergaard signed with the Angels. The Mets signed Morabito for an over-slot $1 million to steer him away from a Virginia Tech commitment. He looked overmatched--going 2-for-22 with 14 strikeouts--in his pro debut in the Florida Complex League.
Scouting Report: Morabito has a short, compact build and explosive raw power and speed, but his pro debut demonstrates that work is required to realize his potential. Morabito has premium bat speed and is quick to the ball with short levers, but he simply swings and misses in the zone too much. His swing tends to be a bit one-piece and rotational, so the Mets will work to correct his lower-half hitting mechanics. If the development takes, then he could hit about .250 with above-average power output. Morabito's best tool is his speed, with double-plus being the most common grade. He played shortstop in high school and second base at the draft combine, but the Mets are developing him as a center fielder. His high-end speed gives him upside in the outfield, while his quick first step makes him a basestealing threat. His arm is below-average.
The Future: Morabito's promising power-speed combination gives him upside to unlock if he can adjust his swing. His development will take time.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 70. Fielding: 55. Arm: 40.
Draft Prospects
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School: Gonzaga HS, Washington D.C. Committed/Drafted: Virginia Tech
Age At Draft: 19.2
BA Grade: 50/Extreme
Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Field: 45 | Arm: 40
Pop-ups in the Mid Atlantic seem to be commonplace in recent years and after Jackson Merrill rocketed up draft boards in 2021, Washington D.C. product Nicholas Morabito has done the same in 2022. Morabito wasn’t seen at many of the highest profile summer showcase and travel ball events last summer, so teams will likely have wide ranging opinions on him. However, he is a strong and compact 5-foot-11, 185-pound hitter with plenty of bat speed and strength. He has short levers and is direct and quick to the ball with no extra or wasted movement pre-pitch or during his load. He can naturally wear out the right-center gap and while he has limited physical projection, has shown plus raw power already. Where Morabito will play is perhaps a bigger question. He has played shortstop and center field, but he has below-average arm strength that might limit him to second base if he sticks on the infield. It’s more likely that he moves to the outfield, where his plus running ability could give him a chance to stick in center. Morabito is old for the class and will be 19 on draft day and an eligible sophomore in 2024 if he makes it to campus at Virginia Tech.
Scouting Reports
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BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Morabito did not play at the major high school showcases as a rising senior but popped onto radars in 2022 with a big spring at Gonzaga High in downtown Washington, D.C. Mets area scout Joe Raccuia pegged Morabito as a second-round talent early in the spring, and New York ultimately drafted him 75th overall, using the compensatory pick after the second round it gained when Noah Syndergaard signed with the Angels. The Mets signed Morabito for an over-slot $1 million to steer him away from a Virginia Tech commitment. He looked overmatched--going 2-for-22 with 14 strikeouts--in his pro debut in the Florida Complex League.
Scouting Report: Morabito has a short, compact build and explosive raw power and speed, but his pro debut demonstrates that work is required to realize his potential. Morabito has premium bat speed and is quick to the ball with short levers, but he simply swings and misses in the zone too much. His swing tends to be a bit one-piece and rotational, so the Mets will work to correct his lower-half hitting mechanics. If the development takes, then he could hit about .250 with above-average power output. Morabito's best tool is his speed, with double-plus being the most common grade. He played shortstop in high school and second base at the draft combine, but the Mets are developing him as a center fielder. His high-end speed gives him upside in the outfield, while his quick first step makes him a basestealing threat. His arm is below-average.
The Future: Morabito's promising power-speed combination gives him upside to unlock if he can adjust his swing. His development will take time.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 70. Fielding: 55. Arm: 40. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Morabito did not play at the major high school showcases as a rising senior but popped onto radars in 2022 with a big spring at Gonzaga High in downtown Washington, D.C. Mets area scout Joe Raccuia pegged Morabito as a second-round talent early in the spring, and New York ultimately drafted him 75th overall, using the compensatory pick after the second round it gained when Noah Syndergaard signed with the Angels. The Mets signed Morabito for an over-slot $1 million to steer him away from a Virginia Tech commitment. He looked overmatched--going 2-for-22 with 14 strikeouts--in his pro debut in the Florida Complex League.
Scouting Report: Morabito has a short, compact build and explosive raw power and speed, but his pro debut demonstrates that work is required to realize his potential. Morabito has premium bat speed and is quick to the ball with short levers, but he simply swings and misses in the zone too much. His swing tends to be a bit one-piece and rotational, so the Mets will work to correct his lower-half hitting mechanics. If the development takes, then he could hit about .250 with above-average power output. Morabito's best tool is his speed, with double-plus being the most common grade. He played shortstop in high school and second base at the draft combine, but the Mets are developing him as a center fielder. His high-end speed gives him upside in the outfield, while his quick first step makes him a basestealing threat. His arm is below-average.
The Future: Morabito's promising power-speed combination gives him upside to unlock if he can adjust his swing. His development will take time.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 70. Fielding: 55. Arm: 40. -
BA Grade: 50/Extreme
August Update: Pop-ups in the Mid-Atlantic seem to be commonplace in recent years, and after Jackson Merrill rocketed up draft boards to the first round in 2021, Washington D.C. product Nick Morabito has done the same in 2022. He ultimately landed with the Mets in the supplemental second round—the pick gained when free agent Noah Syndergaard signed with the Angels. Morabito wasn't seen at many of the highest-profile summer showcase and travel ball events last summer, so teams will likely have wide-ranging opinions on him. However, he is a strong and compact 5-foot-11, 185-pound hitter with plenty of bat speed and strength. He has short levers and is direct and quick to the ball with no extra or wasted movement pre-pitch or during his load. The righthanded hitter can naturally wear out the right-center field gap and while he has limited physical projection, has shown plus raw power already. Where Morabito will play is perhaps a bigger question. He has played shortstop and center field, but he has below-average arm strength that might limit him to second base if he sticks on the infield. It's more likely that he moves to the outfield, where his plus running ability or better could give him a chance to stick in center. Morabito was old for the class and was 19 on draft day.