Miami Marlins Add Power Bat From Tampa Bay Rays

The Miami Marlins have agreed to terms with Christopher Morel on a one-year contract.

Morel is a 26-year-old who has played 477 games over four major league seasons with the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays.

His best season was in 2023, when he ended with 26 homers, 70 RBI and an OPS+ of 122, which is 22 points above the league average.

Morel followed that up with 21 homers the next season, where he played 103 games with the Cubs but spent his other 49 with the Rays.

Morel struggled last season, being limited to 105 games and ending up with just 11 homers and 33 RBI.

Morel is also known for his enthusiasm, something that not everybody appreciates.

"His celebration is a joke, I don’t mind saying it at all," St. Louis Cardinals color commentator Jim Edmonds said in July 2024. I’ve never seen anything like it. I just don’t get it. You’re a .229 hitter in the big leagues, and you're running around like you're Barry Bonds."

"He's also taking up plenty of room out there. …" he added

Others, however, love Morel.

“That’s his personality, that’s who he is,” Rays coach Tomas Francisco told the Tampa Bay Times. “He’s always been like that with a big smile on his face. So just happy to see him here and bringing the energy to the clubhouse and into the dugout.”

“Willy Adames 2.0, personality-wise,” Rays bench coach Rodney Linares said in the same article.

Before getting to Tampa Bay, Morel's manager in Chicago raved about him.

"He's put himself in a position where he needs to be in the lineup," Craig Counsell said at the 2023 Winter Meetings. "He needs to be on the field. That's a good thing. Now, where? That's what we have to figure out.

"I think to sit here on Dec. 3 and say we've gotta have it figured out? Or, that he might be a versatile piece? Like, yeah. I think he's earned his way into a lineup, there's no question about that."

We'll see what the Marlins decide to do with Morel and where he'll stand on Opening Day.