SARASOTA, Fla. – He’s listed at 5 feet 8 and his 19th birthday is three months away. The Orioles promoted him from the Dominican Summer League to the Class A level last season. Height and age didn’t factor into how they treated him.
Results and a 70-grade fastball got Venezuelan right-hander Keeler Morfe moving faster than expected.
Morfe has grown into the No. 9 prospect in the organization according to MLB Pipeline rankings and the Orioles chose him to start tonight’s Spring Breakout game against the Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium.
The kid announced his presence with seven pitches to leadoff hitter George Lombard Jr. at 98-99 mph. The last, clocked at 99, struck him out.
The bingo card was filled – two runs, two hits, two walks, one strikeout, one wild pitch, one hit batter in two-thirds of an inning. Morfe threw 32 pitches and they kept catcher Samuel Basallo busy. But there’s no denying the stuff. It’s real impressive.