P. J. Morlando OF/1B, HS. 6'3", 200 lbs. B-L, T-R.
Morlando is Prospects Live's #1 prep prospect due to his elite bat. In their words, Morlando has a "loud combination of high contact rates, robust power and mature plate discipline. He's a big, raw-boned kid with room to fill out his large frame. Projects as a corner OF due to average speed/arm but could end up at 1B as he fills out. Perfect Game calls him the "top hitter in the class." Hitting stance is a bit like Wilmer Flores with a wide base and weight way back on his back leg and hips back-rotated helping him develop big torque and weight shift while not moving feet. Won the HS HR derby during All-Star Weekend. Hit one bomb 550 ft. Teams that value up-the-middle speed and athleticism will value him less, but the bat does appear to be elite.
Ron Washington is a good hire by the Angels to be their manager, maybe as good as or better than Bob Melvin?
ReplyDeleteAs manager he won 2 pennants with the Rangers, losing one WS as we well know to the Giants. He won a WS ring as the 3rd base coach for Atlanta in 2021 (ouch for the 209-win Giants including the NLDS).
As a manager he was 664-611 with 96 wins in 2011 and 4 consecutive 90+ win seasons.
His "resignation" after an extramarital affair in 2014 perhaps "blackballed" him for a managerial job. He has been a coach with Atlanta for 7 years.