Tre’ Morgan Stats & Scouting Report

AB	197
AVG	.371
OBP	.447
SLG	.558
HR	6

Full name John Morgan
Born 07/16/2002 in New Orleans, LA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 191 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Louisiana State
Drafted in the 3rd round (88th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023 (signed for $781,300).

View Draft Report

School: Louisiana State Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21
BA Grade:45/High
Tools:Hit: 55. Power: 40. Run: 55. Field: 55. Arm: 40.

Morgan established himself as a cornerstone of Louisiana State’s lineup and infield from the day he stepped on campus, and finished the 2021 season with the fourth-best average in the SEC as a true freshman. He did more of the same in 2022 and 2023 and is a career .332/.424/.497 hitter through 194 games with LSU. He’s an odd profile as a 6-foot-1, 215-pound first baseman and outfielder who is an exceptional defender and athlete at first base, but doesn’t have the sort of power that is necessary to profile there in pro ball. Morgan has never hit double-digit home runs in a single season, even in 2023’s explosive offensive environment, and he’s more of a singles and doubles hitter who controls the zone well and has solid bat-to-ball skills. His exit velocities are modest and he also doesn’t have much more physical projection to bank on more power coming. Because of that, teams were interested to see how he could move around in the outfield and he has split his time in his draft year in left field and first base. He’s a significantly better defender at first, with outstanding instincts around the bag, impressive leaping ability and a 40-grade arm that can be hidden at the position. He’s an above-average runner, but still needs to refine his instincts and route-running in the outfield.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Morgan will be a hero in Baton Rouge for the rest of his life. His play against Wake Forest was the signature highlight of Louisiana State’s 2023 national championship run. In an eighth-inning scoreless tie with a runner on third base, Morgan charged a bunt, fielded it cleanly and short-arm flipped it home to keep the game scoreless, setting up Tommy White’s extra-inning heroics. Morgan was named to the College World Series all-tournament team. The Rays picked him in the third round a couple of weeks later. His 2023 pro debut ended because of a minor arm injury, but he should be fine for 2024.

Scouting Report: It’s odd to start a scouting report on a first baseman by talking about his defense, but Morgan isn’t a typical first baseman. He plays the position like a shortstop, with excellent range, quick reactions and soft hands. There have been sporadic attempts to try to see what he can do in the outfield, but he’s a below-average defender out there despite his plus-plus defense at first. Offensively, Morgan is a line-drive hitter who aims to hit for average and hit doubles. James Loney’s offensive approach and impact is an optimistic ceiling, but Morgan has shown hints of more power in batting practice.

The Future: The Rays emphasize defense more than most organizations, which is good news for Morgan, who has a light bat for a first baseman, but the Rays’ love for gloves could help a plus-plus defender find a way to a useful MLB role.

Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 70 | Arm: 40

Draft Prospects

School: Louisiana State Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21
BA Grade:45/High
Tools:Hit: 55. Power: 40. Run: 55. Field: 55. Arm: 40.

Morgan established himself as a cornerstone of Louisiana State’s lineup and infield from the day he stepped on campus, and finished the 2021 season with the fourth-best average in the SEC as a true freshman. He did more of the same in 2022 and 2023 and is a career .332/.424/.497 hitter through 194 games with LSU. He’s an odd profile as a 6-foot-1, 215-pound first baseman and outfielder who is an exceptional defender and athlete at first base, but doesn’t have the sort of power that is necessary to profile there in pro ball. Morgan has never hit double-digit home runs in a single season, even in 2023’s explosive offensive environment, and he’s more of a singles and doubles hitter who controls the zone well and has solid bat-to-ball skills. His exit velocities are modest and he also doesn’t have much more physical projection to bank on more power coming. Because of that, teams were interested to see how he could move around in the outfield and he has split his time in his draft year in left field and first base. He’s a significantly better defender at first, with outstanding instincts around the bag, impressive leaping ability and a 40-grade arm that can be hidden at the position. He’s an above-average runner, but still needs to refine his instincts and route-running in the outfield.