2012 Indians 37th round pick: OF Jacob Morris
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June 6, 2012
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In the 37th round of the 2012 MLB Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected outfielder Jacob Morris out of the University of Arkansas.
Date of birth: 12/19/1990 - Height: 6’3” - Weight: 215 - Bats: Right - Throws: Right
Bio: Arkansas player page
Quick take: Morris was originally drafted out of high school by the Nationals in the 35th round of the 2009 Draft, and his stock has fallen since. He hit just .236 with 3 HR, 23 RBI and a .407 slugging percentage this season as a junior at Arkansas, which was only a little better than his sophomore season when he hit .194 with a .254 slugging percentage. He has some serious versatility and athleticism as a defender where he can play almost anywhere on the diamond and has a very good arm. He also has good speed and a good markeup, but the bat is a big question mark. The Indians either see something in him that is untapped or they are looking at him to fill an organizational need (my guess is the latter).
Jeff Ellis: Jacob Morris is yet another player the Indians are trying to sign away from the University of Arkansas. This once again shows that the Indians are viewing this region as an underrated region that is really growing. Morris is only a red shirt sophomore, but teams have been following him since his high school days. He had a very rough year both statistically and his season ended thanks to injury, yet there is a reason the Indians drafted him. He shows good bat speed, along with plus defense. He could play all three spots in the outfield thanks to his combo of speed and his arm. If he can put it together and hit to go along with his other tools, then he becomes a top five round type of player. Since he still has 2 years of eligibility and is coming off a bad year, I would bet that Morris returns to school for one more year.
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