Mets' Nick Morabito feeling a lot more comfortable in his second stint with big club
Mets' Nick Morabito singles in the 6th inning to break up a no-hitter against the Phillies' Aaron Nola on Thursday at Citi Field. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Nick Morabito’s MLB career is still in its infancy.
After three days off, the 23-year-old rookie outfielder — whom the Mets called back up when rosters expanded to 28 on Sept. 1 — was in the lineup for Thursday night’s 3-0 loss to the Phillies in the series opener at Citi Field, batting ninth and playing leftfield in only his 10th career start and 14th appearance. He went 1-for-3 with a single that broke up Aaron Nola’s no-hitter with one out in the sixth.
Morabito, in the big leagues for a second stint after a one-week stay in May, is glad to be back and is getting more comfortable in the Mets’ clubhouse.
With nine games remaining, Morabito — the Mets’ No. 12 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline — reflected on what he thinks has been a positive year.
“I think it’s been good,” he told Newsday before the game. “I can’t hide from the fact that when I came up here early, I didn’t perform how I wanted to perform. But I think it was good for me to come up and get the little taste of it and go back down to Triple-A, work on things I needed to work on and then come back up here.
“I feel like I’ve found my footing a little bit. It’s only been like half a month, but I’m still getting comfortable, getting used to the big leagues. But I think in general it’s been a good year.”
That first taste certainly wasn’t ideal for Morabito, whom the Mets selected in the second round (75th overall) out of Washington D.C’s Gonzaga College High School in 2022.
It started with a lot of attention after he controversially was assigned No. 8 — the number of the late Gary Carter — ahead of his MLB debut on May 19; he switched to No. 55 the next day.
And the on-field results weren’t there. He was 0-for-11 with nine strikeouts before being sent back to Triple-A Syracuse on May 26.
The messaging after the demotion?
“Just be myself, play my game,” Morabito recalled. “Really, that was it. Don’t change who you are as a player. Don’t try to be somebody that you’re not.”
Ninety-eight days later, he was back with the Mets.
“I think Nick’s comfort level with the big leagues is exponentially higher than his first time up, which is pretty typical with young guys who get to the big leagues relatively quickly, and he knows he can compete here,” interim manager Andy Green said.
“He knows he can have productive at-bats here, and he just plays the game hard. So I think for us, just want to see him put the ball in play aggressively, shoot it around the yard and go defend the field in left today like very few people can defend the field in leftfield.
“I think we’re just encouraged with the way this second time up has gone for him so far.”
Morabito has known Green for years. He was the team’s senior vice president of player development before taking over as interim manager.
“I have a really good relationship with Andy,” Morabito said. “Having him in player development last year and the year before when I was in the minor leagues, and having him as a coach now is really cool. And I think it’s been cool that he’s been able to see me and other players progress throughout the years, and now he’s managing . . . He’s been great.”
Morabito was batting .172 (5-for-29) entering Thursday’s game, but he was hitting a much-improved .278 (5-for-18) in eight games since being recalled. He had a key three-run double — his first career hit — in a 10-4 win over the Rays on Sept. 2. He also ranks in the 99th percentile in MLB in sprint speed, according to Baseball Savant.
“I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself and playing my game, and not trying to be somebody that I’m not,” he said. “I feel like I’ve tapped a little bit more into my power this year and [have] a new career high in homers, and I just feel like I play the game smarter.”
Morabito posted a .254/.355/ .388 slash line with 13 homers, 47 RBIs and 42 stolen bases in 114 games with Syracuse this year. Last season, he hit six homers in 118 games with Double-A Binghamton.
He primarily played centerfield (64 games) with Syracuse this season, though he saw a healthy dose of time in leftfield (24 games) and right (19).
Green said Morabito likely will play five or six more games before the season ends on Sept. 27.
“He’s going to get ample opportunity to show what he’s growing [into],” Green said. “Get an opportunity to go compete and help us win.”
Morabito will head to Tampa this offseason to train. He said A.J. Ewing, with whom he lived in Tampa last year, also will be there.
Seeing Ewing and Carson Benge have impressive rookie seasons has helped Morabito’s mindset.
“It’s been really cool to see those guys do really well this year,” he said. “I think it’s encouraging for somebody like me or other prospects in our system coming up [to see] that hey, these guys can do it, you guys can do it too.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
