Prospect of the Day: Brent Morel

Brent Morel, 3B, Chicago White Sox
    Brent Morel took over the third base job in Chicago this spring, and unless something goes seriously awry, he should hold the job. A third round pick in 2008 out of Cal Poly, Morel draws strong reviews for his defense at third base. Although he's made three errors in his first eight games so far, that shouldn't last. He has a strong arm, quick hands, and enough range to have played some shortstop last year in Triple-A. The White Sox are very confident that he'll hold the job defensively. On offense, Morel hit .323 last year between Double-A and Triple-A, along with 37 doubles and 10 homers. He's not going to hit a huge number of home runs, but he has good doubles power. He's not a fast runner, but he has some aggressiveness on the bases and will pick up some steals now and then. Scouts often compare him to Joe Randa, who was never a superstar but had a long, successful career. Don't expect Morel to put up amazing numbers, but he should develop into a steady player.