Akeel Morris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Akeel Morris |
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Morris with the New Britain Bees in 2019
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: November 14, 1992 Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands |
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| debut | |||
| June 17, 2015, for the New York Mets | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 26, 2018, for the Los Angeles Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 0–0 | ||
| Earned run average | 6.14 | ||
| Strikeouts | 16 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Akeel Jamael Morris (born November 14, 1992) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He was chosen by the New York Mets in the 2010 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. Akeel made his big league debut with the Mets in 2015. He also played for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels.
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Growing Up and Early Baseball
Akeel Morris was born in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. His dad, Kenneth, was from Saint Kitts, and his mom, Corlette, was from Antigua.
Before Akeel focused on pitching, his favorite baseball player was Derek Jeter. Later, he looked up to pitcher Josh Beckett.
Akeel went to Charlotte Amalie High School. In December 2009, he pitched an amazing game. He got a perfect game, striking out all 15 batters he faced! Akeel's parents helped him travel to the Dominican Republic. There, he tried out for the New York Mets.
A Professional Baseball Journey
Starting with the New York Mets
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The New York Mets picked Akeel Morris in the 10th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. He started his professional career that same year. He played for the Gulf Coast League Mets.
In 2013, Akeel played for the Brooklyn Cyclones. He had a great year, winning 4 games and only losing 1. His ERA was very low, at 1.00. He also struck out many batters.
In 2014, Akeel became a full-time relief pitcher for the Savannah Sand Gnats. He had an incredible season. He led the league with 16 saves and a super low 0.63 ERA. He also struck out 89 batters in 57 innings. This means he struck out a lot of batters for every 9 innings he pitched! He was named an All-Star that year.
Akeel started 2015 with the St. Lucie Mets. He continued to pitch well, with a 1.69 ERA. Because of his strong performance, he was called up to the major leagues on June 15. He made his MLB debut on June 18, 2015, with the New York Mets.
Moving to Other MLB Teams
In 2016, the Mets traded Akeel to the Atlanta Braves. He played for their minor league team, the Mississippi Braves. In 2017, he was called up to the Braves' major league team. He pitched well, with a 1.23 ERA in 7.1 innings. His fastball could reach 95 miles per hour.
In 2018, Akeel was traded to the Los Angeles Angels. He played in nine games for the Angels. After his time with the Angels, he became a free agent.
Playing in Independent Leagues
After his time in MLB, Akeel played for several independent league teams. These leagues are not part of Major League Baseball.
- In 2019, he joined the High Point Rockers.
- Later in 2019, he played for the New Britain Bees.
- He then joined the Long Island Ducks. He didn't play in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He re-signed with the Ducks in 2021 and pitched very well, with 14 scoreless innings.
Return to Affiliated Baseball and Beyond
In June 2021, the San Francisco Giants bought Akeel's contract. He played for their Double-A team, the Richmond Flying Squirrels. He became a free agent again later that year.
In 2022, Akeel returned to the Long Island Ducks for a second time.
In October 2023, Akeel was chosen by the Mumbai Cobras in the first-ever draft for Baseball United. This is a new league.
Playing for Great Britain
Akeel Morris has also played baseball for his country. He was chosen to represent the Great Britain in the 2023 World Baseball Classic qualifiers.
Images for kids
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Morris with the New Britain Bees in 2019
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Morris with the New York Mets
