As they entered their next levels of competition following standout high-school baseball careers, the Morabito brothers of McLean each quickly learned that making successful hitting adjustments would become a key to any future batting success.
So far, each has done so, although taking a bit of time – Nick on the minor-league professional level in the New York Mets organization, and Chris in Division I college ball at Bucknell University. Both are just getting started with those programs.
Nick Morabito, who played baseball at Gonzaga College High School, is in his third minor-league season and Chris Morabito, a McLean High baseball star, just completed his freshman year of college.
“My hitting was atrocious my first six [professional] games,” Nick Morabito said. “It takes time, and it was on me to get better. The more you see professional pitching, the more you get used to it. The biggest adjustment is timing and loading earlier during your swing. You have to be on time against this level of pitching.”
After a struggling 2-for-22 hitting performance during his first six games for a Mets rookie team in the 2022 season, Nick Morabito has bounced back well. The outfielder batted a combined .306 with two teams of Rookie League and Single-A ball during the 2023 campaign.
This season, through 57 contests for two teams at different Single-A levels, the leadoff hitter had a .333 batting average with three homers, two triples, eight doubles, 16 RBI and 32 stolen bases. He’s had two four-hit games.
In April, Nick Morabito was chosen as the Florida State League’s Player of the Month. He batted .397 for the St. Lucie Mets that month, had two triples and stole nine bases.
His current team is the Brooklyn Cyclones. He was drafted by the Mets in 2022.
Nick Morabito also said another big adjustment is the drastic change of lifestyle, from living with his parents in high school to suddenly being on his own in professional ball.
“You are completely thrown into that every day, and its very tough to adjust,” he said. ”It can take a while. You have to grow up fast.”
The hitting adjustments in college for Chris Morabito were similar, as he also struggled to hit well at first. After a slow start with the bat, he caught fire, sparked by a clutch 10th-inning RBI pinch hit, as Bucknell’s season progressed.
The outfielder achieved his first-season goal of becoming a starter as he remained in the lineup after that big hit. Chris Morabito eventually was chosen as the Patriot League’s Rookie of the Year, batting .275 with two home runs and 17 RBI. He started 23 games, most in the second half of the season.
“Many pitchers at this level all consistently throw hard, many in the low 90s,” Chris Morabito said. “You have to change your mindset and learn to square up and settle for hitting the ball the other way. It took me the first half of the season to improve that.”
The brothers regularly follow each other’s seasons this summer. Chris is playing for the Metro SoCO Braves of the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League. The right fielder had a home run and six RBI through 13 games.
He got off to a good start with two hits, including a homer, and a stolen base in his first game with the Braves.