If you watched the New York Yankees play the Minnesota Twins on Monday, it might have been surprising to see a 6-foot-4 right-hander looking sharp, albeit in just 2.1 innings. That man was Cody Morris, picked up in a small trade from the Cleveland Guardians for Estevan Florial.
At first glance, Morris doesn’t seem to be the sexiest acquisition of New York’s offseason, and rightfully so. This is a player who comes into the Bronx with a 6.75 ERA after struggling with injury following his rookie campaign. Yet, this is what makes him a diamond in the rough.
While the former Guardian did make five starts in that rookie season in 2022, I’m almost certain that he’ll be better utilized out of the bullpen when considering his recent injury history. If you read my previous article related to Blake Snell, you’d know that I’m not very high on New York’s current starting pitching depth.
Through the grind of a long MLB season, injuries are bound to happen and if the Yankees aim to ride it out with this current pitching staff, they’re going to need as much bullpen firepower as they can bring. Of course, that’s if options like Clayton Beeter, Luis Gil or even Cody Poteet don’t pan out at all and Morris is then called upon for longer innings.
New York Yankees pitcher Luis Velasquez throws during the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. Photo by Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)
That’s where the tutelage of Matt Blake becomes even more important. New York fans have become well aware that the pitching coach is famous for turning less into more on a consistent basis. From Wandy Peralta to Clay Holmes, the former Holy Cross graduate is known for his ability to get career seasons out of players that may have been mid-tier to below-average options. While Morris has shown in the past that he does have some impressive skills, I believe that Blake can get even more out of him.
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One of the things I’m a big fan of with the former Guardian is his pitching arsenal. Morris boasts a fastball, cutter, curveball and changeup, with that fastball headlining those options. His No. 1 pitch sits at an average speed of 95 mph, and the velocity of his fastball sat in the 71st percentile of MLB pitchers in 2023, even in a small sample size. Additionally, Morris’ cutter sat at an average of 88.9 last season.
Notably, as SNY writer Ben Krimmel brilliantly pointed out, Morris also has a 38.6% ground ball rate, something that the organization typically values out of its bullpen arms and another aspect that Blake can look to improve on with the Maryland native.
Lastly, while the Yankees certainly have a talented bullpen, they have lost some important pieces like Michael King and Peralta. That means that the franchise will need some new players to step up in their absence and I’m inclined to believe that Morris can be one of those options. With the small sample size that he’s displayed throughout his brief time in the league, I would not be surprised if this ends up being another steal for Brian Cashman.
