South Carolina baseball landed a massive commitment late last week in the form of Summerville product PJ Morlando. Morlando is the 3rd-ranked player in the class of 2024 according to Perfect Game Baseball and will be heavily courted by Major League Baseball clubs heading into next year’s draft.
If Morlando does, indeed, play for the Gamecocks and forego an early pro career, he could become one of the most powerful hitters to ever don a garnet and black uniform.
Over the weekend Morlando competed in the National High School Home Run Derby. Actually, it is probably more fair to say that Morlando was a dominant force in the National High School Home Run Derby. He mashed two different home run balls into the third deck, something that has only been done in a game in recent memory by Shohei Ohtani.
In total, the 6’3″ basher knocked 24 balls out of the yard (many of them to the upper deck) to advance to the final round of the Derby. Gary Sheffield and Mike Cameron, two guys who know a thing or two about hitting balls over the fence, were ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the show put on by Morlando and his fellow finalist Samuel Richardson.
PJ Morlando (@MorlandoPj) smacks 24 upper deck TANKS to advance to the final round of the High School Home Run Derby🔥 pic.twitter.com/y1aUGHx7HF
— MLBDevelops (@MLBDevelops) July 8, 2023
This year, the final round of the National High School Home Run Derby will take place just before the MLB Home Run Derby. On Monday, at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, the high school bombers get to put on a show for the Major League Baseball All-Stars and derby participants.
Oh, yeah. Morlando was also named the MVP of the High School All-American Game. South Carolina baseball is getting a good one if he decides to head to school next year.
The full High School Home Run Derby first and second rounds can be watched here. The finals can be streamed on MLB.com at 7:00 on Monday, July 10th.