Morris caps strong camp with scoreless outing: 'Pretty lights out'

DUNEDIN, Fla. ¨C Twins starting pitcher Andrew Morris continued to turn heads with three scoreless innings in Tuesday afternoon¡¯s 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark.

Morris allowed one hit and zero walks and struck out three, including All-Stars Anthony Santander and Bo Bichette.

Asked what the best lineup he has ever faced was, Morris didn¡¯t hesitate: ¡°That one. ¡­ I was really trying not to pay attention to who was at the plate. That was the focus of mine ¡­ just focusing on executing pitches.¡±

Morris, the Twins¡¯ No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was reassigned to Minor League camp after the game and is expected to begin the season with Triple-A St. Paul. He didn¡¯t allow a run in seven innings of Grapefruit League games.

When Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was asked if he expected to see Morris called up in 2025, he said, ¡°If he¡¯s throwing the ball like this, I would absolutely expect to see him at some point this year. ¡­

¡°He¡¯s pitched pretty lights out. He¡¯s used all of his pitches. They all look like where he wants them. He¡¯s been very productive. He¡¯s got a lot of different weapons. He¡¯s got a fastball that cuts on hitters. He¡¯s got pretty good command and is a good adjustment-maker.¡±

Morris, a fourth-round Draft pick out of Texas Tech in 2022, posted a 2.37 ERA in 26 outings (24 starts) at three Minor League levels last year.

Tuesday, Morris got Bichette swinging on a sinker, Santander looking on a four-seam fastball away and Daulton Varsho swinging on a four-seamer.

¡°This is the best preparation I can have facing these guys ¨C the best of the best," Morris said. "So it¡¯s just really exciting to face them. ¡­ But you¡¯ve just got to try to attack them in the zone, and not be too perfect and too fine. That¡¯s what I was focusing on today, and I thought it worked pretty well.¡±

Morris also talks to himself on the mound. When informed that Tigers 1976 All-Star rookie Mark ¡°The Bird¡± Fidrych set the standard in that regard, Morris said he was going to have to research a pitcher who ended up on the cover of both Rolling Stone and Sports Illustrated.

¡°I definitely talk to myself out there,¡± said Morris, who said he¡¯s ¡°pretty much¡± reaffirming what he¡¯s doing on the mound. ¡°¡®Did I fully trust the slider? Did I leave it up?¡¯¡±

Now, it¡¯s back to Triple-A.

¡°I¡¯m just trying to prove myself to them and come in and work hard,¡± said Morris, ¡°and continue to show that I can compete at that level and stay consistent, hit on my goals, and not try to do too much.¡±

Castellano¡¯s Rule 5 road
Twins pitcher Eiberson Castellano is the classic Rule 5 charmer.

Does a team ¨C a contender, no less -- take a chance on an inexperienced player for the entire season or return the Rule 5 Draft pick to his previous team, the Phillies?

¡°We¡¯re giving him a thorough look,¡± said Baldelli. ¡°He¡¯s a guy who stood out to our organization in a pretty big way. ¡­ We think he has a lot of ability. He does have very good stuff. What¡¯s coming out of his hand is real. He has a mid-90s fastball that gets higher at times. He has a very good breaking ball. He¡¯s thrown a ton of strikes. He¡¯s got good feel for what he¡¯s doing.

¡°He has all the makings of a guy that can make it and do it.¡±

Castellano, 23, from Maracaibo, Venezuela, hasn¡¯t pitched above Double-A ¨C where he got Minnesota¡¯s attention by striking out 50 with just nine walks in 40 1/3 innings in 2024.

Castellano allowed two runs on one hit and three walks in 1 1/3 innings while striking out two against Toronto. He has a 9.00 ERA after six innings in four Grapefruit League outings.

How is he getting himself to relax?

¡°Being a Rule 5 guy is something that is pressing on my mind,¡± said Castellano, with assistant hitting coach Rayden Sierra serving as interpreter. ¡°I understand relaxing myself as much as I can. I go about that by telling myself, ¡®Do what you¡¯ve always done. Just pitch, try to relax and let things take care of themselves.¡¯¡±

Castellano got both punchouts with curves.

¡°I feel really good about that,¡± said Castellano. ¡°I feel that is one of my best pitches right there with the fastball. And I¡¯m working on my changeup.¡±