Yankees’ untold tale: A shortstop becomes a shutdown reliever
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Follow UsTAMPA, Fla. — The phone call that changed everything came during the final rounds of the 2022 MLB Draft. Hueston Morrill was waiting, hoping to begin his pro career as a middle infielder in the Yankees organization. Three years later, he stands as one of the most dominant relievers in minor league baseball, putting up numbers that look almost unreal.
The transformation from college shortstop to elite pitching prospect marks one of the most dramatic position changes in recent Yankees farm system history. Morrill recorded a 0.76 ERA over 47.2 innings in 2025, including a stretch so dominant it left hitters confused and scouts hurrying to revise their reports.
From two-way star to struggling college pitcher
Morrill’s baseball journey began at Suwannee High School in Live Oak, Florida, where he shined as a two-way player. His pitching statistics drew attention right away, striking out 153 hitters in 117.1 innings while keeping a 1.40 ERA. The Los Angeles Angels drafted him in the 36th round in 2018 and encouraged him to focus solely on pitching.
Morrill chose another path. He committed to Oklahoma State University, determined to continue as both a pitcher and hitter. The Cowboys used him mostly in relief, where he logged only 26.2 innings over two seasons and posted a 6.41 ERA with 30 strikeouts. Those numbers rarely draw attention from major league scouts.
As a position player, Morrill appeared in 585 plate appearances and hit .256 while playing primarily in the middle infield. When the 2022 Draft ended without his name called, the Yankees offered him a deal as a non-drafted free agent. That decision would change his future.
The Yankees pitch a radical change
The Yankees’ front office saw untapped potential others had missed. They approached Morrill with an idea that would reshape his entire baseball path.
“I’d always wanted to be a hitter,” Morrill said. “But the Yankees came to me and said, ‘Hey, we think you’ve got a good enough arm and let’s see if you can transition.’”
New York’s pitching development team quickly went to work. Morrill had relied on a gyro slider as his main breaking pitch in college. Yankees coaches showed him analytics suggesting that a harder version — closer to a cutter — could produce better results. The organization’s data-driven methods reflected its modern player development philosophy.
“I threw hard in high school, threw hard in college, but now it’s just really like the pitching aspects, getting good hitters out,” Morrill said. “Hitters get better all the time. Hitting has evolved in itself, and certain situations you kind of have a good feel of what guys are looking for and stuff like that.”
The change required a complete mental reset. Morrill had to abandon years of hitter routines and embrace life entirely as a pitcher. He committed fully to that new identity, leaving behind his days as a position player.
A solid foundation leads to explosive breakthrough
The 2024 season hinted that the conversion might succeed. Morrill posted a 3.59 ERA in 47.2 innings for High-A Hudson Valley. The numbers didn’t earn national headlines or a prospect ranking, but they showed steady progress. His command improved, his velocity ticked up, and his confidence grew.
Then came 2025. Baseball America named him the best reliever in the South Atlantic League. Opponents hit only .118 against him with a .398 OPS. Left-handed hitters were especially helpless, producing a combined .089/.191/.139 slash line with a .103 batting average on balls in play.
His most impressive streak began on May 5. Over the next 25 appearances, Morrill threw 32.2 straight innings without allowing an earned run. During that time, he gave up just one extra-base hit. His 93.2% left-on-base rate ranked second among all minor league pitchers, and his 0.76 ERA ranked third among those who pitched at least 45 innings.
“For me, it’s more just trust in the process, just enjoying being out there playing baseball,” Morrill said. “Each time I go out there, I’m trying to do something a little different to grow as a pitcher. It’s still pretty new to me, so I just want to make sure that I’m honed in on the little things and trying to make those as best as they can.”
What makes Morrill nearly unhittable
The numbers explain why hitters rarely found success. Morrill’s walk rate stayed manageable at 3.2 per nine innings in 2025. His line-drive rate of 15.7% kept hard contact to a minimum. With runners in scoring position, opponents hit just .051, going 3-for-59 with only one extra-base hit allowed.
He earned High-A All-Star recognition, and the Yankees rewarded him with a late-season promotion to Double-A Somerset. He made four appearances there, showing flashes of promise despite some uneven outings as he adjusted to higher-level hitters.
The cutter that Yankees coaches helped him master has become his trademark weapon. The pitch draws natural comparisons to another Yankees legend whose cutter dominated in the Bronx for two decades. While Morrill still has distance to cover before reaching the majors, the similarities in pitch shape and control are hard to ignore.
Arizona Fall League provides next challenge
To build on his momentum, the Yankees sent Morrill to the Arizona Fall League, where he joined the Mesa Solar Sox. The league features top prospects from across baseball, providing a crucial test against advanced competition.
Through his early outings, Morrill logged 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and no strikeouts. The results were mixed, but the experience itself was invaluable. At 25, Morrill enters his age-26 season in 2026 poised to reach Double-A or even Triple-A if his progress continues.
“The biggest takeaway is just enjoying the process,” Morrill said. “Being able to stay focused throughout the whole season, learn and grow throughout it, be able to look back and just say, ‘You know what? I was healthy for a full season and I was able to compete at the highest level.’ So growing in that process, taking what I can here and there, and learning from each and every person around me. You always learn something new in this game each day.”
Bullpen implications for the Yankees
Morrill’s rise comes at a critical time for the Yankees. The team faces multiple bullpen decisions this offseason. Devin Williams and Luke Weaver could hit free agency. Mark Leiter Jr. may not return. Deadline acquisitions Camilo Doval and Jake Bird underperformed late in the year and during the playoffs.
Though Morrill is not listed among MLB Pipeline’s top 100 or even the Yankees’ top 30 prospects, his 2025 season forced evaluators to take notice. The Yankees’ player development system turned him from an undrafted shortstop into a legitimate relief prospect in just three years.
His success highlights the Yankees’ commitment to creative player development. By taking a college infielder with limited pitching experience and turning him into a dominant reliever, the organization showcased the power of its analytical approach and coaching expertise.
Whether Morrill can sustain this performance remains to be seen. Position players turned pitchers often face steep learning curves even after early success. Refining command, mastering pitch sequencing, and maintaining physical durability all remain long-term challenges.
Still, the foundation is strong. Morrill’s cutter misses bats, his command keeps traffic off the bases, and his poise stands out in high-pressure spots. The Yankees believe he has the tools and mentality to continue his climb. If his 2026 season builds on his 2025 breakout, fans at Yankee Stadium could soon see the former shortstop who became one of the most unexpected bullpen weapons in the Yankees system.
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