Athletics' right-hander named potential 'breakout candidate' for 2026

Jared Bloom

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Athletics' right-hander named potential 'breakout candidate' for 2026 image

During the 2023 season, Luis Morales was named an international free agent by Major League Baseball. He would then go on to sign with the Athletics in January.

He would split his first season between the Dominican Summer League Athletics, rookie-level Arizona League Athletics, Single-A Stockton Ports, and High-A Lansing Lugnuts. 

This past season, he started at Double-A before being called up to Triple-A and then to the big leagues in August. He would go on to start nine games, posting a 4-3 record with a 3.14 ERA.

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Athletics' right-hander named potential 'breakout candidate' for 2026

Luis Morales showed the organization what he is capable of, and could be in store for a much bigger season in 2026. He could become the frontline starter for the team if Luis Severino takes a step back in 2026. 

MLB.com's Martin Gallegos makes the case that fans will want to keep a close eye on him. 

"Morales showed all the makings of a potential future frontline starter scouts project him to be in his big league stint with the A's in 2025. In a year that began at Double-A Midland, he forced his way to the majors in August and appeared in 10 games (nine starts) for the A's, posting a 3.14 ERA with 43 strikeouts and 18 walks."

Morales relies on a four-pitch mix to get outs. His fastball can run up to 99 mph, while he also mixes in a slider, curveball, and a changeup. However, there are areas that he can further develop. 

Not all parts of his game are perfect. He has shown inconsistencies and an inability to command his pitches at times. If he truly wants to live up to his potential, that will be an area that he will need to work on. 

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Staff Writer