In his ongoing pattern of accumulating promising prospects, New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman engaged in a trade on Tuesday, sending outfielder Estevan Florial to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for right-handed pitcher Cody Morris. Florial, who has seen playing time in the majors over the past three seasons, was once widely regarded as a top-100 prospect, praised for his well-rounded skills in the outfield, encompassing excellent defense, speed, and above-average power. Despite high expectations, Florial’s performance in the big leagues has been underwhelming, with a .209/.313/.296 slash line, one home run, and six stolen bases in 48 games. While excelling at the Triple-A level, Florial faced the challenge of exhausting his minor league options, necessitating a roster spot on the Yankees or exposure to waivers.
Despite his struggles in the majors, Florial still retains certain strengths, ranking in the 94th percentile for sprint speed and maintaining a 9.9 percent walk rate, above the league average. However, his elevated strikeout rate of 28.2 percent underscores his difficulties with contact. Although he excels against fastballs, hitting .379, his performance against other pitches is marked by a roughly 50 percent whiff rate. It seems likely that Florial’s future in the majors will involve a part-time role, relying on defensive prowess and occasional power to contribute.
In return, the Yankees acquired Cody Morris, a pitcher with intriguing potential for their player development system. Drafted in the seventh round in 2018 out of South Carolina, Morris debuted as a starter in 2019. Over the last two seasons, he made brief appearances in the majors, maintaining a 3.41 ERA in 31.2 innings. However, command issues, evident in a double-digit walk rate, surfaced at the highest level. Morris, initially praised for his fastball/changeup combination, showcased positive results with his cutter, changeup, and curveball in 2022.
While Morris has yet to concede a hit with his curveball in the big leagues, it remains a secondary pitch in his repertoire. Despite command challenges, his minor league walk rates suggest the potential for improvement over a full season. Having been developed as a starter, Morris is likely to be utilized as a multi-inning reliever, providing the Yankees with a flexible asset. With two option years remaining, Morris represents a valuable addition to the bullpen, offering the team roster flexibility—a quality highly prized by all teams.
Leave a Reply