On Tuesday, the Yankees added bullpen depth by trading their once-promising outfield prospect, Estevan Florial, to the Guardians for 27-year-old relief pitcher Cody Morris. When the Yankees acquired Florial as an international free agent, he showed promise, but his talent never translated into major-league success. Trading him to Cleveland could provide the chance for more playing time, fostering his development into the everyday player the Yankees had initially envisioned.
Cody Morris is an intriguing addition to the Yankees pitching roster. While in Cleveland, former manager Terry Francona appeared to have plans that included making Morris a long-relief option. Recurring shoulder injuries halted those plans, but if Morris can stay healthy, he may help fill the bullpen void left after losing Michael King, Randy Vasquez, and Jhony Brito in the Juan Soto trade. Morris has a four-pitch arsenal that could translate well into multi-inning relief. He throws a mid-90s four-seam fastball that sets up a swing-and-miss changeup if he can locate it well early in the count. He throws a cutter nearly as much as his four-seamer but lacks control and a curveball that tends to draw more walks than outs. Given his tendencies, Matt Blake and the Yankees’ pitching staff will likely focus on helping Morris produce more soft contact and issue fewer walks. Since the Yankees’ pitching philosophy revolves around producing soft contact and groundouts, locating pitches well is a lynchpin for their bullpen success. If Morris can make the necessary adjustments in camp, stay healthy, and locate well in spring training, he could be a reliable bullpen fixture.
