Miami Marlins select Cody Morissette in 2nd round of MLB Draft
The second baseman went 52nd overall on the second day of the draft.
With the 52nd pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Miami Marlins selected Boston College second baseman Cody Morissette. The junior was chosen 37 picks after roommate and teammate Sal Frelick, making them the second-best duo by draft selection in program history.
Morissette becomes just the 10th BC player to be picked within the first three rounds and at 52nd overall, the seventh-highest selection in the Eagles’ record books. He managed that impressive distinction despite battling injuries this spring which limited him from reaching his full potential until the end of the regular season.
In his last 15 games, Morissette hit .451 (28-for-62) and finished the year on a 16-game hitting streak. This raised his junior season batting average to .321 along with nine doubles, six home runs, 29 runs, and 33 RBIs.
A career .337 hitter for the Eagles, Morissette earned All-ACC Second Team and Freshman Team honors in his first year on campus. He was on pace for an even more impressive sophomore season, slugging .448/.522/.655 through 15 games before the season was cut short due to COVID. In 2021, despite battling a wrist injury and being limited to 41 games (after playing 58 his freshman year), Morissette still earned All-ACC First Team honors.
Here’s a round-up of what some MLB Draft analysts had to say:
Prospects Live editor Joe Doyle
What a steal for the Marlins. There was a point in time we thought Cody Morissette was the best college hitter in the country. Thumb injury slowed him down. Kid is tougher than nails. Sneaky pop.
He's not a burner, but he runs well enough and is smart and aggressive on the base paths. Defensively, Morissette has shown he can play multiple positions well, manning second as a freshman and handling third base a year ago. With a good internal clock, soft hands and enough arm, he could even play shortstop, a spot he'd play if it weren't for the presence of Brian Dempsey at BC. A team that thinks he can play short might be the one to take him, knowing he could slide over to second with the ceiling of developing into a Chase Utley type of player if he can rediscover his groove at the plate.
A hand injury slowed Morissette early in the spring and he re-aggravated it later, which may have taken a toll on his numbers when he returned, but he ended the season with a flourish to hit .321/.398/.497 in 41 games. Morissette is more steady than flashy, with his hitting ability standing out the most. Morissette has a better pure swing than Frelick. It's a fluid, easy stroke from the left side that's calm, smooth and under control with a compact path to the ball and good bat speed. That helps Morissette square up pitches middle-in consistently, and he generally stays within the strike zone, though he's been vulnerable against sliders at times. Morissette's raw power is fringe-average now with home run juice to his pull side. His swing is conducive to hitting the ball in the air, and with his bat speed, some strength projection remaining and barrel skills, he could get to average power, though it's a hit-over-power profile now.
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