Hold those LSU Tigers: Morgan, Taylor duel in Arizona Fall League

MESA, Ariz. – When LSU spilled out onto Omaha’s Charles Schwab Field to celebrate the 2023 national championship, Tre' Morgan and Grant Taylor were part of the dog pile, teammates jubilant about their club’s success.

Fast forward to Wednesday afternoon at Sloan Park during Arizona Fall League action and the two had to go mano a mano, twice.

Who walked away with bragging rights? Well, that’s hard to say – it depends on who you ask.

“I'd give it to Grant,” Morgan said, laughing. “That's my first hit off him in a long time. Every time I faced him [at LSU], he struck me out every time except for once. So it was good to get that double up.”

Leading off the game for the Solar Sox, Morgan watched Taylor’s warmup pitches intently. Then he got two fastballs to begin his first at-bat, swinging and missing at one, fouling the other off. In an 0-2 hole, the Rays’ No. 10 prospect choked even further up his bat than usual and peppered an opposite-field double.

“I knew mentally I didn't look good on the first two fastballs,” Morgan said. “So I sold out for a third fastball. If it was anything else, it would have been a strikeout.”

Just an inning later, the strikeout came to fruition. After Morgan worked the count in his favor, Taylor battled back and buried a curveball in the dirt on a 2-2 count to get the left-hander waving. On the way back to the dugout, Morgan couldn’t help but smile about the White Sox No. 6 prospect's effort.

“I just kind of went back on what I threw against him at LSU and what I’ve had success with,” Taylor said. “I've had success with curveballs late below the zone, so I was seeing if I could get him again on it.”

Morgan ultimately delivered three hits from the leadoff spot in Mesa's 9-5 win over Glendale, raising his average to .417 through eight games. Taylor’s start -- 2 2/3 innings of two-run ball with four strikeouts, with his fastball touching 98 mph -- was his third of the fall as he continues to ramp back up after a right lat strain ended his regular season in June.

The two hadn’t faced off since fall ball in 2022, as Taylor missed the Tigers' entire ‘23 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. But two weeks after winning the national title, Taylor and Morgan were selected within 37 picks of one another -- the right-hander going 51st overall to the White Sox and the first baseman 88th overall to the Rays.

Of course, Taylor and Morgan weren’t alone in joining the pro ranks from the championship-winning Tigers squad in 2023. Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews (MLB's No. 1 prospect) made Draft history by becoming the first pair of teammates to be selected No. 1 and 2 the same year, going on to debut in the Majors this summer, while 13 players from that squad were drafted overall.

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“I think it was just kind of the environment we cultivated,” Taylor said. “There was a lot of really, really good talent on that team, but everyone was for the team and wanted everyone else to get better as well. So I think that was why we had success during the season, and I think that's why guys are having success after being drafted.”

“[LSU head coach Jay Johnson] taught us how to win, how to compete,” Morgan added. “That's really what he instilled in us from Day 1. That's what he said when he stepped in the meeting room and said that's what he expected out of all of us, and we've kind of taken that to pro ball.”