Nyjer Morgan
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Nyjer Jamid Morgan (born July 2, 1980) is an American former
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...
outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
. He has played in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
,
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
,
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
, and
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
, in
Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
(NPB) for the
Yokohama DeNA BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japan, Japanese Central League. Their home field is Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The team has been known by several names since becoming a professional team in 1950. It adopted its c ...
, and in the
KBO League The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers ar ...
for the
Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles ( ko, 한화 이글스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon. They are a member of the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium. The Eagles have won the Korean Series on ...
. Morgan has mainly played
center field A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the Baseball positions, baseball and softball fielding position between Left fielder, left field and Right fielder, right field. In the numberi ...
during his MLB career. In his youth Morgan played
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
, reaching the
Major Junior Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
level with the
Regina Pats Regina (Latin for "queen") may refer to: Places Canada * Regina, Saskatchewan, the capital city of the province ** Regina (electoral district) ** Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina France * Régina, French Guiana, a commune United States * R ...
of the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
in 1999–2000. Following that season, Morgan turned his focus exclusively to
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
and was drafted by the Pirates in the 33rd round of the
2002 MLB draft The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5. It is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book '' Moneyball''. First round selections Supplemental first round compensation selections * ...
.


Early life

Morgan was born in San Francisco. When he was seven years old, he became interested in playing
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
after watching the ice hockey tournament at the
1988 Winter Olympics The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games (french: XVes Jeux olympiques d'hiver) and commonly known as Calgary 1988 ( bla, Mohkínsstsisi 1988; sto, Wîchîspa Oyade 1988 or ; cr, Otôskwanihk 1998/; srs, Guts ...
on television. When Morgan was 16, after playing in numerous tournaments across the United States and Canada, he was recruited by the
Vernon Vipers The Vernon Vipers are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Interior Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Kal Tire Place. History The ...
of the
British Columbia Hockey League The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada and BC Hockey. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 18 teams. From 1993 to 2021, the league was a member of the Ca ...
(BCHL). Although Morgan did not make the Vipers' team after participating in its
training camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events, ...
, he played two games with the team during the 1996–97 season as an affiliate player in which he recorded ten
penalty minutes A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penaltie ...
. He spent the remainder of the 1996–97 season with the
North Okanagan Knights The North Okanagan Knights are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Bill Ohlhausen Division of the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJH ...
of the
Kootenay International Junior Hockey League The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) is a Junior "B" Ice Hockey league in British Columbia, Canada sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the Teck Cup competes with the champions of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJ ...
. The following season, he played for the
Nelson Leafs The Nelson Leafs are a Junior "B" ice hockey team based in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Neil Murdoch Division of the Kootenay Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). They play their home ...
of the
Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League The Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League was a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league in British Columbia. :Peace Junior B Hockey League 19xx–1975 :Peace-Cariboo Junior Hockey League 1975–1991 :Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League 1991–1999 ...
. During the 1998–99 season, Morgan again played for a new team, this time for the
Delta Ice Hawks The Delta Ice Hawks are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Delta, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Tom Shaw Conference of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL). The Ice Hawks play their home games at Ladner Leisure Centre. ...
of the
Pacific International Junior Hockey League The Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL), formerly Pacific International Junior Hockey League, (PIJHL) until 2012 is a Canadian junior ice hockey league which operates in the Lower mainland of British Columbia. Although the PJHL has included Amer ...
. The following season, Morgan made the transition from the junior "B" Ice Hawks to the
major junior Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
Regina Pats Regina (Latin for "queen") may refer to: Places Canada * Regina, Saskatchewan, the capital city of the province ** Regina (electoral district) ** Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina France * Régina, French Guiana, a commune United States * R ...
of the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
(WHL). In seven games with the Pats during the
1999–2000 WHL season The 1999–2000 WHL season was the 34th season for the Western Hockey League. Eighteen teams completed a 72-game season. The Kootenay Ice won the President's Cup. League notes *The WHL followed the NHL's lead and adopted the "regulation tie" form ...
, Morgan scored two
goals A goal is an objective that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve. Goal may also refer to: Sport * Goal (sports), a method of scoring in many sports, or the physical structure or area where scoring occurs ** Goals, the goal frame in ...
and recorded 20 penalty minutes. Both of his goals were scored in his first career WHL game, after which he was named the
first star First Star Software, Inc. was a Chappaqua, New York based video game development, publishing and licensing company, founded by Richard Spitalny (who remains the company's president), Billy Blake, Peter Jablon, and Fernando Herrera in 1982. It is ...
of the game. Following his seven games with the Pats, Morgan was released and joined the
Prince George Spruce Kings The Prince George Spruce Kings are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Mainland Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Kopar Memo ...
of the BCHL for three games in which he scored one
assist Assist or ASSIST may refer to: Sports Several sports have a statistic known as an "assist", generally relating to action by a player leading to a score by another player on their team: *Assist (basketball), a pass by a player that facilitates a ba ...
and 15 penalty minutes.


Baseball career


Pittsburgh Pirates

The
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
selected Morgan in the 33rd round of the
2002 Major League Baseball draft The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5. It is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book '' Moneyball''. First round selections Supplemental first round compensation selections * ...
. On September 1, 2007, Morgan made his major league debut for the Pirates against the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
as a late-season call-up. On September 14, 2007, Morgan made a catch in
Minute Maid Park Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 ...
's
center field A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the Baseball positions, baseball and softball fielding position between Left fielder, left field and Right fielder, right field. In the numberi ...
that proved the difference in a 4–3 Pirates win.
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
manager
Cecil Cooper Cecil Celester Cooper (born December 20, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, manager and sports agent. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1971 to 1987 for the Boston Red Sox and the Milwaukee ...
said of the catch "That's probably the best catch I've seen this year.". The catch garnered references to
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
'
The Catch The Catch may refer to: Film and television * ''The Catch'' (U.S. TV series), 2016-2017 American mystery television series * ''The Catch'' (UK TV series), 2023 British family drama television series * ''The Catch'' (1961 film), 1961 film by Nagisa ...
on
SportsCenter ''SportsCenter'' (SC) is a daily sports news television show, television program that serves as the flagship program and brand of United States, American cable television, cable and satellite television television network, network ESPN. The show ...
the following day. Morgan also showed his tools against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
on September 20, going 2 for 3 with a
triple Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble": Sports * Triple (baseball), a three-base hit * A basketball three-point field goal * A figure skating jump with three rotations * In bowling terms, three strikes in a row * ...
, two runs scored, two
stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...
s, and an outfield assist throwing out
Scott Hairston Scott Alexander Hairston (born May 25, 1980) is a Mexican-American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs ...
. Morgan's first
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
came September 25 against the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. Morgan was expected to make the 2008 roster as the Pirates' starting
center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the c ...
, but lost the position battle to
Nate McLouth Nathan Richard McLouth (born October 28, 1981) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. He was pr ...
during
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
. After a poor start to the season, he was optioned to the Triple-A affiliate
Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which open ...
. Morgan made several appearances for the Pirates, but spent most of his season in Indianapolis until a productive September call up to the parent club. Morgan overcame an unimpressive spring training in 2009 to claim the job of starting left fielder. Building on his positive second half of 2008, he proved himself to be a fan favorite, often referring to left field as "Morgantown". Although he stole 42 bases in 2009 (second in the league to Michael Bourn), he was caught 17 times—tied for the most in the majors.


Washington Nationals

On June 30, 2009, Morgan was traded to the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
along with pitcher
Sean Burnett Sean Richard Burnett (born September 17, 1982) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Washington Nationals. Amateur care ...
in exchange for outfielder
Lastings Milledge Lastings Darnell Milledge (born April 5, 1985) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago White Sox and then in Nip ...
and pitcher
Joel Hanrahan Joel Ryan Hanrahan (born October 6, 1981) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. Hanrahan was originally a starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB) before moving to the closer role for the ...
. On August 27, he fractured his hand sliding into third base, and was placed on the 15-day
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
the following day In a May 22, 2010, game against the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
, Morgan, playing center field, jumped for a fly ball hit by Adam Jones which hit his glove and caromed away. Morgan thought he had knocked the ball over the fence for a home run, and reacted by angrily throwing his glove to the ground and walking away. Left fielder Josh Willingham retrieved the ball and threw it towards home plate, but not in time to prevent Jones from achieving an inside-the-park home run. As he left the field at the end of the inning, Morgan heard a chorus of boos from the crowd. On July 22, 2010, Morgan became the first Nationals player to steal three bases in one game. For the 2010 season, he was third in the league in steals (34), and led the league in the number of times caught stealing (17). On August 25, 2010, Morgan was given a seven-game suspension for allegedly throwing a ball at a fan during a game against the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
at
Citizens Bank Park Citizens Bank Park is a baseball stadium located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's South Philadelphia Sports Complex. It is the home playing field of the Philadelphia Phillies, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. The stad ...
; Morgan appealed the suspension. On August 31, Morgan ran into Marlins catcher Brett Hayes; the collision separated Hayes' shoulder. The next day, Morgan was hit by a pitch in the 4th inning, by
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
pitcher
Chris Volstad Christopher Kenneth Volstad (born September 23, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He is a 2005 graduate of Palm Beach Gardens High School. He has played in MLB for the Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Pit ...
. Later that night, Volstad threw a ball that went behind Morgan. Incensed by the pitch, Morgan charged the mound, taking a swing at Volstad before being clotheslined by Marlins first-baseman
Gaby Sánchez Gabriel Sánchez (born September 2, 1983) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida/Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the ...
, leading to a bench-clearing fight. MLB suspended Morgan for eight games and fined him an undisclosed amount. The suspension from the September 1 brawl was upheld on appeal, and Morgan started serving his eight-game suspension on September 17. The league also gave him a $15,000 fine in addition to the eight-game suspension. The incident came just days after Morgan ran into
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
backup catcher Bryan Anderson in spite of the fact that the Cardinals catcher didn't have the ball and had stepped away from the plate. Morgan finished the 2010 season with a .253 average and 34 stolen bases, and led the National League in times caught stealing for the second year in a row.


Milwaukee Brewers

On March 27, 2011, Morgan was traded to the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
in exchange for prospect Cutter Dykstra (son of baseball player
Lenny Dykstra Leonard Kyle Dykstra (; born February 10, 1963), is an American former professional baseball center fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets (1985–1989) and Philadelphia Phillies (1989–1996). Dykstra was a thre ...
). Morgan fractured his middle finger in the 8th inning on a sacrifice bunt against
Jonny Venters Jonathan William Venters (born March 20, 1985) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals. Career Minor leagues Venters was ...
. After two separate stints on the disabled list, he joined
Carlos Gómez Carlos Argelis Gómez Peña, nicknamed Go-Go, (born December 4, 1985) is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. He played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays ...
in a platoon in center field with Gómez in the lineup versus left-handed pitchers and Morgan in the lineup versus righties. On June 8 against the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
, Morgan recorded his first walk-off hit with a double down the right field line at
Miller Park American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium used primarily for baseball. It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Milwauk ...
to win the game 7–6. After the game, Morgan said that he did not know it was a walk-off until he saw his teammates running out onto the field. In 2011, he batted .304 and was third in the NL in hit by pitch (14) and sacrifice hits (15). On October 7, Morgan had a series-clinching walk-off base hit in the 10th inning of Game 5 of the
NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. The Brewers won the game 3–2, giving the Brewers their first playoff series win since 1982. On January 16, 2012, Morgan signed a one-year, $2.35 million deal during his first run-through of arbitration eligibility. In the 2012 season, Morgan batted .239 in 122 games, with 12 stolen bases (and five times caught stealing). The Brewers did not offer Morgan a major-league contract for the 2013 season, and he refused an assignment to the Brewers'
Class AAA Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL ...
minor league team, the
Nashville Sounds The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the ci ...
.


Yokohama DeNA BayStars

In January 2013, Morgan signed a contract to play for the
Yokohama DeNA BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japan, Japanese Central League. Their home field is Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The team has been known by several names since becoming a professional team in 1950. It adopted its c ...
of the
Central League The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consist ...
in
Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
. He batted .294 with 11 home runs in 108 games for the BayStars.


Cleveland Indians

On January 14, 2014, Morgan announced that he had signed a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring training with the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. Due to
Michael Bourn Michael Ray Bourn (born December 27, 1982) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Baltimore Oriol ...
starting the season on the disabled list, Morgan earned a spot on the 25-man roster and started the 2014 season as the starting center fielder and leadoff hitter. On August 5, 2014, he was released.


Hanwha Eagles

In December 2014, he signed with the
Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles ( ko, 한화 이글스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon. They are a member of the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium. The Eagles have won the Korean Series on ...
of the
KBO League The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers ar ...
on a one-year $700,000 contract.


Pericos de Puebla

In December 2015, he signed with the
Pericos de Puebla The Pericos de Puebla (English: "Puebla Parrots") are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Puebla, Mexico. History The state of Puebla came upon baseball in the early 1920s when returning Poblanos that had come from militar ...
of the Mexican League. During the 2016 season he hit for an average of .306 while stealing 22 bases and showing surprising power with 11 home runs as he played Left field and center field and leadoff the batting order as he played in 101 of the team's 110 regular season games. He was named to the Mexican League All-Star team and was brilliant both in the field and at the plate during the playoffs that resulted in the first League Championship for Puebla in 30 years.


Acereros de Monclova

On February 21, 2017, Morgan, along with
Chad Gaudin Chad Edward Gaudin (; born March 24, 1983) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He has been used as both a starting pitcher and a reliever throughout his career, functioning as a "swingman." Gaudin has pitched in Major League Ba ...
,
Daric Barton Daric William Barton (born August 16, 1985) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics. Minor league career Barton was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ...
, Manny Rodriguez, Rodolfo Amador, and
Willy Taveras Willy Taveras (born December 25, 1981) is a Dominican former professional baseball player. A center fielder, Taveras has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. Pr ...
, were traded to the
Acereros de Monclova The Acereros de Monclova (English: Monclova Steelers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico. Their home ballpark is Estadio de Béisbol Monclova, which has a capacity of 11,000 people. The Acere ...
in exchange for RHP Joaquín Lara.


Personal life

During his career, Morgan frequently referred to himself as "Tony Plush", which he said is his "name on the field" or his "gentleman's name". Under his nickname, Morgan would occasionally make a hand signal to look like a "T" after reaching base. In 2011, he created his own Twitter account, where he published wacky pictures such as himself dressed as a cowboy. With over 80,000 followers, he often tweeted after games using his catchphrase "AAAAAHHHH GOTTA GO!" Morgan has one daughter, Niah, who was born in
Regina, Saskatchewan Regina () is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province, after Saskatoon, and is a commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. As of the 2021 C ...
, during his tenure with the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
's
Regina Pats Regina (Latin for "queen") may refer to: Places Canada * Regina, Saskatchewan, the capital city of the province ** Regina (electoral district) ** Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina France * Régina, French Guiana, a commune United States * R ...
. Morgan relinquished custody of Niah in order to pursue his athletic career. In 2017, Morgan had a son. In 2018, Morgan threw the first pitch of the
NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
at
Miller Park American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium used primarily for baseball. It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Milwauk ...
on his son's first birthday. On February 1, 2012, Morgan had the opportunity to join an on-ice practice with the
San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
. He said that it was "dream come true", and he received high praise from All-Star player
Joe Thornton Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers of the ...
, who said that Morgan was "actually a pretty good skater."


References


External links

, o
RetrosheetYahoo! SportsPura Pelota (Venezuelan Winter League)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Nyjer 1980 births Living people Acereros de Monclova players African-American baseball players African-American ice hockey players Altoona Curve players American expatriate baseball players in Japan American expatriate baseball players in Mexico American expatriate baseball players in South Korea American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela American expatriate ice hockey players in Canada Baseball players from San Francisco Cleveland Indians players Columbus Clippers players Gulf Coast Pirates players Hagerstown Suns players Hanwha Eagles players Hickory Crawdads players Honolulu Sharks players Ice hockey players from California Indianapolis Indians players KBO League outfielders Leones del Caracas players Lynchburg Hillcats players Major League Baseball outfielders Mexican League baseball center fielders Mexican League baseball left fielders Milwaukee Brewers players Nashville Sounds players Nelson Leafs players Nippon Professional Baseball center fielders Pericos de Puebla players Phoenix Desert Dogs players Pittsburgh Pirates players Potomac Nationals players Prince George Spruce Kings players Regina Pats players Tamalpais High School alumni Vernon Vipers players Walla Walla Warriors baseball players Washington Nationals players Williamsport Crosscutters players Yokohama DeNA BayStars players