Nick Morabito

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.