All-Time MLB Players From Lafayette: Kevin Morgan

There have been a number of individuals from Lafayette, and the Acadiana area, that have played in Major League Baseball over the years.

Obviously, the entire state of Louisiana has produced even more.

As a matter of fact, 246 people born in the state of Louisiana have appeared in a Major League Baseball game, beginning in 1874, with John Peters of New Orleans, who played 11 years, with the likes of the Chicago White Stockings, Milwaukee Grays, Providence Grays, Buffalo Bisons, and Pittsburgh Alleghenys.

All summer, we’ll preview a player from the state of Louisiana that appeared in Major League baseball, starting with players from Lafayette, before spotlighting players from the Acadiana area, and then a few from the state itself.

Yesterday, we spotlighted Lyle Mouton.

Today, we feature Kevin Morgan.

Born in Duson in 1969, Morgan, a right-handed hitting third baseman, played one season in Major League Baseball, for one game during the 1997 campaign, becoming the sixth person born in the Lafayette area to appear in the big leagues.

After playing his high school baseball at Acadiana High School, and his college baseball at Southeastern Louisiana, Morgan was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 30th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Morgan played for the Tigers' minor league affiliate in Niagara Falls, New York, hitting a .238 with 28 runs batted in and 8 stolen bases.

After two years in the Tigers' system, Morgan was traded to the New York Mets in 1994, with whom he put up solid number at class A St. Lucie (Florida), AA Binghamton (New York), and AAA Norfolk (Virginia), driving in a career-high 58 runs in 1995.

In 1997, at the age of 27, during two inter-league series' against the Red Sox and Yankees, Morgan was called up by the Mets to the big leagues.

In a game against the Red Sox, on June 15 of 1997, Morgan went 0-for-1, popping up.

That was it. His first, and only at-bat in Major League Baseball.

After staying on the roster for a couple of more days, Morgan was sent back to the minors by the Mets, and he never appeared in another MLB game.

Still, Morgan actually played in an MLB game, something most can only dream of doing.

In seven seasons in the minor leagues, Morgan hit a .248, to go along with 16 homers, 271 RBI's, and 82 stolen bases.

Morgan's career in baseball wasn't over however, and still isn't, as he's risen up the ranks of the Mets' management, to his current job of Director of Minor League Operations.

Married to the former Loni Mouton of Carencro, Morgan has a bright future as a Major League Baseball executive.