Morris Earns Call Up to the Cleveland Guardians
Ken Blaze (USA TODAY Sports)
CLEVELAND, Ohio – University of South Carolina alum Cody Morris (2017-18) has been called up by the Cleveland Guardians, the organization announced today (Thursday, Sept. 1). Morris becomes the 57th Gamecock to reach the Major Leagues.
Morris is coming off a rehab assignment with the Guardians, where he had a 1.69 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 21.1 innings pitched between the AZL Guardians and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Morris was a seventh-round pick by Cleveland in the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft and has played three seasons in the Guardians’ organization. He was 2-2 with a 1.62 ERA in 2021 in 61 innings pitched and had seven wins and 111 strikeouts in 2019.
Morris was a two-year letterwinner at South Carolina, making 26 starts for the Garnet and Black. The Laurel, Md., native was 3-2 with a 3.66 ERA in 2017 and helped the Gamecocks to a Super Regional appearance in 2018, going 9-3 with a 3.46 ERA and striking out 87 batters in 83.1 innings pitched. Morris was named to the 2018 Greenville Regional All-Tournament Team, striking out seven in 7.1 innings in a regional win over East Carolina. He also picked up the win over Arkansas in the Fayetteville Super Regional, allowing four hits and an unearned run in five innings. He was the SEC Pitcher of the Week on May 14, 2018, after he struck out 10 in seven innings of work in a 1-0 win over the Tigers.
Morris joins Gamecock teammate Jonah Bride as Carolina alums making their MLB debuts in 2022. Bride was called up by the Oakland Athletics this June.
Morris and the Guardians wrap up the series with the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field on Thursday night, then host the Seattle Mariners this weekend. Cleveland currently leads the AL Central by 1.5 games over the Minnesota Twins heading into the final month of regular-season play.
