Follow the Prospects: Yohandy Morales, 1B

[imref]

When was the last time we had a 1B in our farm ranked as highly as Morales? Zimmerman??

Zimm was barely in our farm system (67 games combined at A and AA in 2005) and was a 3B. You might have to go back to Chris Marrero?

[nobleisthyname]

Tough to be a top prospect and primarily a first baseman. There's zero wiggle room in positional versatility if the bat doesn't play.

[Smithian]

When was the last time we had a 1B in our farm ranked as highly as Morales? Zimmerman??

Wasn't there a massive amount of excitement about Matt Skole? Then he got hurt?

Not many big time first base prospects. Even with universal DH, it's tough to be excited about a prospect stuck at a position most teams would like to consider rehoming an aging corner outfield or third baseman

[Slateman]

When was the last time we had a 1B in our farm ranked as highly as Morales? Zimmerman??

Zimmerman was a SS/3B

[nobleisthyname]

Age: 22
Team rank: 4
Current level: A (on rehab assignment)

Year-to-date (2 levels)
Games played at position
1B: 27
3B: 6
DH: 5

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

149

|

.248

|

.322

|

.376

|

3

|

3

|

24.2%

|

8.7%

|

.128

|

.698

|

101

[imref]

Went deep again tonight.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Pulled from his rehab game for Fredericksburg in Lynchburg today.  I think it was just that he got the ABs and work in the field they had planned; I certainly didn't notice an injury.  I suspect that means he's going back to Harrisburg now.

He looked comfortable at the plate and was clearly the best hitter on either team, which he should be in a low-A game.  Two hits, both line drives, and pulled a hard grounder that the 3B vacuumed up but was a hit if 5 feet in either direction.  Looked ready to go back to AA. 

In the field at 1B, he looks like a potential plus defender there but isn't yet.  Footwork is still a little rough, but he fields well on the reaction plays, just as you'd expect a natural 3B to do.  Failed to get off the base to handle an abominably wide throw from SS and fumbled a pickoff throw, so there's room to grow on the picking front.

Teammates seemed to like him, and he was joking with runners at 1B as well.  Tossed a ball to some dork near me who kept calling for one, which was nice as said dork was about 30 and many players would just shake their heads in disgust. 

[imref]

Still in fredricksburg, 3-5 tonight with a double that missed going over the wall by inches. Should be moving up soon.

[imref]

Off the IL and back at Harrisburg.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Off the IL and back at Harrisburg.

Given his IL time, I wonder if he'll get sent to the AFL to get more ABs.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

A college bat like Yo Yo is someone I’m hoping can get going and move quickly.  Finish this year strong, start strong in AAA next year, then come up as a 1B or DH.

[imref]

Homered in his first game back at Harrisburg.

https://x.com/88OriolesFan88/status/1822429089896022179/mediaViewer

[Slateman]

Playing him at third base. Interesting.

[Smithian]

Playing him at third base. Interesting.

To me, that makes no sense unless they're wanting to see if he is versatile enough to hold up there. With Tena, Cayden Wallace, Brady House, the Nationals are pretty stocked at 3B.

This has been something of a lost year for him. Hopefully he give us some positives with the bat before end of the season, but overall I think I am hoping for a 2025 rebound.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Wallace is hurt now, Tena in the majors, House is at AAA, so they kind of need somebody to play at AA. It's a chance to try him a bit at his natural position.

[welch]

Wallace is hurt now, Tena in the majors, House is at AAA, so they kind of need somebody to play at AA. It's a chance to try him a bit at his natural position.

Why not have Yoyo play 3B? He is a third-baseman by trade, so play him there...rather than put him a first, a position for sluggers who cannot throw well enough for OF? Yes, take a look at the fellow in my avatar. He was ROY for the Browns. Hurt his shoulder, so the great Bill Veeck stuck his cigar in his wooden leg and hit grounder after grounder to Sievers. Of course, the bush-league Baltimore Orioles dumped Sievers as soon as they could, and Roy broke the home run record for the Old Senators, year after year, until Calvin Griffith moved the fences in to a mere 355 feet in left. And Sievers promptly led the AL in homers.

No point pushing Yoyo to 1B until there is no choice.

And no reason to develop House as the only 3B in the Nats' system. No reason for House to block anyone.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Why not have Yoyo play 3B? He is a third-baseman by trade, so play him there...rather than put him a first, a position for sluggers who cannot throw well enough for OF? Yes, take a look at the fellow in my avatar. He was ROY for the Browns. Hurt his shoulder, so the great Bill Veeck stuck his cigar in his wooden leg and hit grounder after grounder to Sievers. Of course, the bush-league Baltimore Orioles dumped Sievers as soon as they could, and Roy broke the home run record for the Old Senators, year after year, until Calvin Griffith moved the fences in to a mere 355 feet in left. And Sievers promptly led the AL in homers.

No point pushing Yoyo to 1B until there is no choice.

And no reason to develop House as the only 3B in the Nats' system. No reason for House to block anyone.

I'd agree with all of that except that I'd want Morales to be at least moderately proficient at first for if and when he needs to move.  If House or Wallace do work out, they'd likely be better there than he would be. 

He's a big dude and he looks to me (having seen him a week or so ago) like he could be really good at 1B.  He's got both the size and the hands. They don't have anyone else in the upper minors who answers to that (except, I guess, House).  I'm all for giving him shots at 3B and 1B, but he does need to learn 1B quickly.  Those are the two biggest holes on the MLB roster. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'd agree with all of that except that I'd want Morales to be at least moderately proficient at first for if and when he needs to move.  If House or Wallace do work out, they'd likely be better there than he would be. 

He's a big dude and he looks to me (having seen him a week or so ago) like he could be really good at 1B.  He's got both the size and the hands. They don't have anyone else in the upper minors who answers to that (except, I guess, House).  I'm all for giving him shots at 3B and 1B, but he does need to learn 1B quickly.  Those are the two biggest holes on the MLB roster. 

gonna guess that when/if Wallace is healthy, Morales moves to 1st. For now, maybe he should split time so he's not exclusively playing 1st. Might help his trade value to show he can still play 3rd.

[Elvir Ovcina]

gonna guess that when/if Wallace is healthy, Morales moves to 1st. For now, maybe he should split time so he's not exclusively playing 1st. Might help his trade value to show he can still play 3rd.

Why trade him?  If you have a guy playing 1B regularly who can also cover 3B, that's a nice thing to have if your 3B gets hurt.  It's not like this org has lots of options at 1B, either.

[Slateman]

Wallace has been MIA for weeks. No reason to count on him at all

[Elvir Ovcina]

Wallace has been MIA for weeks. No reason to count on him at all

He's hurt and was at the time of the trade.  It's not like he needed to be a part of a pennant race.

[welch]

I'd agree with all of that except that I'd want Morales to be at least moderately proficient at first for if and when he needs to move.  If House or Wallace do work out, they'd likely be better there than he would be. 

He's a big dude and he looks to me (having seen him a week or so ago) like he could be really good at 1B.  He's got both the size and the hands. They don't have anyone else in the upper minors who answers to that (except, I guess, House).  I'm all for giving him shots at 3B and 1B, but he does need to learn 1B quickly.  Those are the two biggest holes on the MLB roster. 

Oh I agree that Yoyo should get some time learning 1B.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Why trade him?  If you have a guy playing 1B regularly who can also cover 3B, that's a nice thing to have if your 3B gets hurt.  It's not like this org has lots of options at 1B, either.

not saying trade him, but if there's a numbers crunch or he's surplus, them position flexibility helps his value

[Elvir Ovcina]

not saying trade him, but if there's a numbers crunch or he's surplus, them position flexibility helps his value

Maybe, but listing your position as "Jake Burger" yields the same result as saying you're a 1B, which is that you better hit.

[imref]

Another homer last night.