The MLB Draft that took place over the course of three days and culminated in over 600 different selections can be overwhelming to most. However, even hundreds of picks later, there is still talent to be had down the board.
This year, with the 282nd overall pick, the Philadelphia Phillies selected Marcus Morgan, one-third of the electric, high-potential Iowa Hawkeyes staff that underperformed throughout most of 2024. As the Phillies' ninth pick, the right-hander signed for $185,700 — just under the slot value of $188,200.
ESPN insider identifies which Phillies 2024 draft pick is a ‘sleeper to watch’
All signs point to a resurgence from Morgan, and that's why, according to ESPN MLB insider Kiley McDaniel, Morgan is the Phillies' sleeper pick to watch.
The Phillies are hoping to get more of the pitcher Morgan was in 2023 when he pitched to a 3.72 ERA in 65 innings. With much turmoil, not only with Morgan but other top performers in the Iowa rotation, following the 2024 season, pitching coach Sean McGrath left the program after only two years with the team. Other Iowa draft selections Brody Brecht (No. 38) and Cade Obermueller (No. 585) also had down seasons in 2024 as a suspected result of training methods and pitching tweaks.
Not only does the Iowa native have the stuff, consisting of a plus-graded slider and a fastball that can reach upwards of 96 mph, but he has played against the highest competition to this point.
Iowa RHP Marcus Morgan is shoving early in their game v. Ball State thru 4 IP. 12 up, 12 down. @DSeifertD1PBR has him up to 95, mostly 93-94. Ripping through his low-to-mid 80s gyro slider.
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) February 17, 2024
Importantly no walks. 6 K.
Day one upside.
📽️@DSeifertD1PBRpic.twitter.com/dz8oWtWiwW
In 2023, Morgan tossed five innings in Game 1 of the NCAA regional, allowing only one earned run. He also pitched two scoreless innings in the Big Ten Championship game. The Hawkeyes won 12 of the 15 games he started on the mound, earning him second-team All-Big Ten honors.
It wasn't just baseball for him either. After a heavy recruiting battle debating between schools and sports, Morgan decided to stay home in Iowa and pursue baseball over other opportunities such as playing quarterback and shooting guard. The athleticism, competitiveness and work ethic are there. The biggest roadblock is his command.
Marcus Morgan is the Phillies Developmental Team's dream
Scouts are already looking into Morgan's repertoire, preferring his more solid, hard slider over the droopier, sweeper-esque slider that he was encouraged to use in his final season at Iowa. His fastball has elite upside but lacks command, similar to another former top-college arm, Jack Leiter.
The 21-year-old enters into the Phillies system in a similar situation to that of this year's breakout prospect, George Klassen, who was recently traded to the Angels for closer Carlos Estévez. He has high potential stuff with little knowledge of where it's going.
The Phillies development team helped Klassen cut his college walks per nine from 8.5 all the way down to 3.4 during his first season in professional ball. Morgan owns a similar 8.3 walks per nine and brings more hype around him as a prospect due to the recent success of the Phillies organization.
Anytime a team can add a college arm with three pro-level pitches that late in the draft, it's a win. What would make it a home run would be if Morgan can follow a similar path as other top pitching prospects in the organization and rekindle his high potential.