Fresno State Athletics
Photo by: Khon Saysamongdy
Morgan selected by Giants in MLB Draft
7/18/2022 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
FRESNO, Calif. - Redshirt junior catcher Zach Morgan was selected in the seventh round by the San Francisco Giants on day two of the 2022 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday.
Taken with the 226th overall selection, Morgan becomes the 33rd student-athlete under head coach Mike Batesole to be selected in the first 10 rounds of the draft since the skipper became head coach of the Bulldogs in 2003.
A four-year Bulldog out of Stockton, Morgan had a standout season in 2022 earning All-Mountain West first team honors and was named one of three finalists for the Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year
Starting all 55 games behind the plate, Morgan led the team and ranked fifth in the MW hitting .381 from the dish.
In addition, Morgan topped the club and ranked among the top 10 in the MW in hits (83), doubles (20) and on-base percentage (.454) and showed great discipline at the plate drawing 25 walks while only being struck out 17 times.
Behind the plate defensively, Morgan posted a .987 fielding percentage, tossed out 20 would-be base stealers, added 460 putouts and was named a finalist for the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove at catcher.
Morgan has totaled 113 career games at Fresno State racking up 144 hits, 27 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 66 RBI and scored 81 runs while hitting .344 from the plate.
The 2022 MLB Draft wraps on Tuesday with rounds 11-20 starting at 11 a.m. PT on MLB.com.
Morgan's Fresno State Career Statistics
2019: Redshirted
2020: 15 GP, 14 GS, .333 avg., 17 hits, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 8 runs
2021:Â 43 GP, 39 GS, .293 avg., 44 hits, 5 2B, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 26 runs
2022: 55 GP,, 55 GS, .381 avg., 83 hits, 20 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 47 runs
TOTAL: 113Â GP, 108 GS, .344 avg., 144 hits, 27Â 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 66 RBI, 81 runs
Morgan's Career Accolades
- 2022Â First-Team All-Mountain West Selection
- 2022 Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year Finalist
- 2022 ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Catcher Finalist
Fresno State players drafted by the San Francisco Giants
1967: Earl Vickers, OF, 4th Round
1970: Robert Ulrich, RHP, 17th Round
1971: Scott Wolfe, INF, 7th Round
1975: Jeffrey Ross, P, 2nd Round*
1981: Steve Wilcox, RHP, 24th Round
1989: Steve Hosey, OF, 1st Round (14th overall)
1993: Steve Soderstrom, RHP, 1st Round (6th overall)
1997: Giuseppe Chiaramonte, C, 5th Round
1998: Randy Goodrich, RHP, 13th Round
2019: Nolan Dempsey, INF, 33rd Round
2022: Zach Morgan, C, 7th Round
* did not sign
Notables
Follow us on:Â
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Instagram:Â fresnostbaseball
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Taken with the 226th overall selection, Morgan becomes the 33rd student-athlete under head coach Mike Batesole to be selected in the first 10 rounds of the draft since the skipper became head coach of the Bulldogs in 2003.
A four-year Bulldog out of Stockton, Morgan had a standout season in 2022 earning All-Mountain West first team honors and was named one of three finalists for the Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year
Starting all 55 games behind the plate, Morgan led the team and ranked fifth in the MW hitting .381 from the dish.
In addition, Morgan topped the club and ranked among the top 10 in the MW in hits (83), doubles (20) and on-base percentage (.454) and showed great discipline at the plate drawing 25 walks while only being struck out 17 times.
Behind the plate defensively, Morgan posted a .987 fielding percentage, tossed out 20 would-be base stealers, added 460 putouts and was named a finalist for the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove at catcher.
Morgan has totaled 113 career games at Fresno State racking up 144 hits, 27 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 66 RBI and scored 81 runs while hitting .344 from the plate.
The 2022 MLB Draft wraps on Tuesday with rounds 11-20 starting at 11 a.m. PT on MLB.com.
Morgan's Fresno State Career Statistics
2019: Redshirted
2020: 15 GP, 14 GS, .333 avg., 17 hits, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 8 runs
2021:Â 43 GP, 39 GS, .293 avg., 44 hits, 5 2B, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 26 runs
2022: 55 GP,, 55 GS, .381 avg., 83 hits, 20 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 47 runs
TOTAL: 113Â GP, 108 GS, .344 avg., 144 hits, 27Â 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 66 RBI, 81 runs
Morgan's Career Accolades
- 2022Â First-Team All-Mountain West Selection
- 2022 Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year Finalist
- 2022 ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Catcher Finalist
Fresno State players drafted by the San Francisco Giants
1967: Earl Vickers, OF, 4th Round
1970: Robert Ulrich, RHP, 17th Round
1971: Scott Wolfe, INF, 7th Round
1975: Jeffrey Ross, P, 2nd Round*
1981: Steve Wilcox, RHP, 24th Round
1989: Steve Hosey, OF, 1st Round (14th overall)
1993: Steve Soderstrom, RHP, 1st Round (6th overall)
1997: Giuseppe Chiaramonte, C, 5th Round
1998: Randy Goodrich, RHP, 13th Round
2019: Nolan Dempsey, INF, 33rd Round
2022: Zach Morgan, C, 7th Round
* did not sign
Notables
- Morgan was the first catcher taken by the Giants in the 2022 MLB Draft.
- Morgan was the 16th catcher selected and 15th from the college ranks. Lamar King, Jr. was the lone prep catcher taken in the top ten rounds when he was selected in the fourth round by the San Diego Padres.
- All 10 of the Giants' selections so far in the MLB Draft have been college players with seven pitchers, an outfielder and a two-way player joining Morgan.
- Morgan was the second player from the Mountain West drafted behind San Diego State's Troy Melton (Tigers, RHP, 4th Round).
- Morgan was the 26th draftee from the state of California.
- Morgan becomes the 11th member of the 'Dogs 2019 Mountain West championship team selected in the MLB Draft.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Instagram:Â fresnostbaseball
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Players Mentioned
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