LSU's Tre' Morgan's transition to left fielder has been catch-as-catch-can
Tre’ Morgan’s transition from being LSU’s full-time starting first baseman his first two seasons to becoming the Tigers’ starting left fielder this season has revealed three things.
His athleticism. His fearlessness with the heart of a demolition derby driver. And the fact he may be made of rubber.
It began with Morgan hurting his wrist running full blast into a wall of chasing a fly ball in the fifth game of the season vs. Kansas State in the Round Rock Classic.
“That was a unique start for sure,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said. “Again, that’s just Tre’s will to win that `I’m going to sacrifice my body.’
“There was also a running catch in the bullpen against Tennessee that I clearly remember. I don’t think many college players could have made a play on that.”
But there’s been no catch with a higher degree of difficulty – even if it was self-inflicted – than his diving, twisting grab a week ago against Texas A&M in the SEC tournament that was ranked as ESPN’s No. 1 Play of the Day.
Morgan admits he made the catch look more difficult than it should have been.
“There was a lefty (Jack Moss) up and we were kinda in the oppo shift,” Morgan said. “It comes off his bat towards left center, so I open up toward left center and I see the ball kinda of fading towards me. So I’m like, `Okay, I kinda got it.'
"Once the ball goes above your head as an outfielder, you’re screwed. I see the ball above my head and I see I have to flip my hips. You see me mouth something because I knew I messed up.
“I kinda fell and dove for it and it ended up in my glove. I looked at (center fielder) Dylan (Crews) like `I didn’t really.'
"That was like two seconds from being the worst play of the day but it ended up being the best. It was almost really bad.”
Johnson said as he watched Morgan fumble and fall around, he thought he’d make the catch.
“Everybody is losing their mind (after the catch) and I look over at (Texas A&M head coach) Jim Schlossnagle and he’s just shaking his head,” Johnson said.
Morgan has just three errors this season, including last-inning spot duty at first base.
“I’m used to it now,” Morgan said of playing left field. “When I was first out there, I got a little nervous like hoping the ball wouldn’t come in my direction.
“But the more I play out there, the more comfortable I get. Now, I hope the ball comes to me.”
Morgan, who’s hitting .308 with 43 RBIs, seven homers, a team-high three triples and 10 doubles, is one of many players Johnson will miss after the junior moves on to professional baseball as an expected high draft choice in July’s MLB draft.
Without hesitation after he was one of the best defensive first basemen in college baseball as a freshman and sophomore, Morgan willingly moved to left field because Johnson wanted room in the lineup for an additional offensive threat.
"He’s one of the best competitors that I've ever coached,” Johnson said. “He plays fearlessly and that's hard to find. I just appreciate him doing everything he can to help us be successful.
“This means something to him. I kind of have a saying that players either fit baseball in their life or they build their life around baseball. Tre’ built his life around baseball, and that makes him special in his own right.”