Bio

As a Junior: Did not appear in first season at University of Tampa.

As a Sophomore (UF): Attended the University of Florida in 2015 season...Was 1-0 with a 4.50 earned run average in six appearances and three starts…Over 14 innings, the right-hander had 11 strikeouts and four walks…Retired the only batter he faced during the home victory over No. 11 Florida State on St. Patrick’s Day…Hurled a scoreless eighth inning in the second win over Fairfield…Held No. 9 UCF to one run over 3.2 innings as the Gators notched a 10-2 victory over the Knights at McKethan Stadium…Delivered a perfect six innings during Florida’s win at USF, totaling a career-high seven strikeouts and throwing 70 pitches in his first outing of the campaign. 

As A Freshman (UF): At the University of Florida, made 11 appearances and five starts and was 0-0 with a 6.56 ERA…In 23.1 innings, he totaled 16 strikeouts and issued 10 walks…Did not allow any runs in four SEC outings spanning six innings and registered four strikeouts…Started the second meeting with Kentucky at the SEC Tournament (1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R)…Struck out the lone batter he faced in the regular-season finale at Tennessee…Threw a scoreless frame in the final meeting with No. 10 Vanderbilt…Notched two strikeouts over two innings against Mercer…Delivered four shutout innings in which he allowed zero hits during the second contest at Texas A&M…Worked a career-long 4.1 innings and recorded a career-high five strikeouts in the triumph over Illinois State…Stared game two at No. 17 Miami (FL) and yielded one earned run in four innings…Made collegiate debut as the Gators’ Saturday starter versus Maryland on the opening weekend of the campaign. 

Summer League: Played for the Bourne (Mass.) Braves of the Cape Cod League in 2014 with Gator teammates Harrison Bader and Richie Martin…The Braves set a FRANCHISE record for wins on their way to the West title and the President’s Cup for having the league’s best record…Appeared in 10 games out of the bullpen and was 2-0 with a 5.55 ERA in 22.2 innings, with 16 strikeouts…Picked up his first win with three shutout innings against Wareham in which he totaled three K…Collected a road victory at Falmouth with a two-inning stint. 

High School: Graduated from King High School, and played for head coach Jim Macaluso…Was the highest incoming Gator drafted, as he was taken in the 24th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft by the Cincinnati Reds with the 735th overall pick…Ranked No. 40 nationally by Perfect Game, No. 5 in the state of Florida and No. 2 among right-handers in the Sunshine State…First-team Louisville Slugger All-American after going 11-2 with a 0.58 ERA and a single-season school-record 127 strikeouts in 85 innings…Was an all-state selection in Class 6A after helping King reach the Class 6A state semifinals and compile a 25-4 record…It marked just the third time that the program had reached the final four in 38 years…Chosen as a First-Team Preseason All-American and to Rawlings’ Preseason Florida All-Region First Team by Perfect Game prior to his senior year…Turned in a school-record 17-strikeout, three-hit gem while leading the Lions to a 4-1 victory in the REGIONALfinal over Mitchell…Did not surrender any EARNED runs in a span of over 56 innings, the longest stretch in school history…Played in the 2012 Under Armour All-America Game held at Wrigley Field on Aug. 18, 2012…Also participated in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at PETCO Park in San Diego in August 2012…Named the Most Valuable Pitcher of the 2012 Perfect Game 17-U BCS Finals while playing for the Orlando Scorpions…Worked five innings, giving up three hits and zero EARNED runs, and notched seven strikeouts in the title game… For the TOURNAMENT, Morales pitched eight innings and allowed no earned runs on five hits…He struck out 11 batters in two appearances and picked up the win in each outing...Earned second-team all-county recognition as a junior, when he was 6-1 with a 0.99 ERA in 49.1 innings, with 58 strikeouts and 14 walks…Also hit .293, with 15 RBI, seven doubles, a triple and a homer…Batted .321 with 23 RBI and a homer during his sophomore season. 

Personal: Was a three-year member of Relay for Life and was part of Interact, King’s community service group...Son of William and Wendy Morales...Has a younger sister, Sarah...Criminology major...Born January 10.