Hunter Morris Returns to the Plains

[autigeremt 6,569]

http://www.auburntig.../061316aab.html

AUBURN, Ala - Auburn's hitters will soon be getting batting tips from a former Tiger, 2010 SEC Player of the Year, Hunter Morris.

Morris will serve as a student assistant coach, working with the team while completing his undergraduate degree.

"I'm thrilled to death because I've always wanted to get into coaching whenever I was done playing," Morris said.

Auburn is giving Morris that opportunity a few years sooner than he had planned.

"Auburn's played such a big role in my life and my career in baseball," Morris said. "It's an opportunity to come back and hopefully make an impact on this program. Work with coaches that I have a ton of respect for. Really look forward to learning from these guys and pushing this program to the next level."

Drafted in the second round by the Red Sox out of Huntsville's Grissom High School in 2007, Morris turned down Boston in favor of Auburn.

In 2008, he was the Freshman of the Year in the SEC. Two years later, Morris smashed a single-season record 23 home runs, joining Tim Hudson (1997) as Auburn's SEC Player of the Year honorees.

"It was so much fun. The two years prior to that, we all kind of saw it," Morris said. "We took our lumps, but we came in as a group. My freshman year we were running seven freshmen out there on the field starting on a Friday night at times. So we knew as a group what we were capable of.

"And really all it took was two or three of us to get over that hump and put up the numbers that we did. I couldn't have asked for a better year overall other than ending up in Omaha."

The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Morris in the fourth round in 2010.

Two years later, playing in his hometown, he was the Southern League's Most Valuable Player for the Huntsville Stars, batting .303 with 28 home runs and 113 RBIs. At age 23, big league stardom appeared imminent.

But the call never came.

"It was frustrating a lot of times. I won't sit here and say that I ever `should' have been called up, but there were certainly opportunities that I could have broken through," Morris said.

In 2014, on the verge of getting called up, Morris broke his arm "and never really bounced back from it."

After one more season of pro ball in Pittsburgh's organization, Morris decided to give coaching a try.

"I certainly treasure every minute I had on the field," Morris said. "All the way back from little league to professional baseball. I hate that it ended the way that it did. But I was also at peace with it. And having this passion for coaching and wanting to get into it certainly makes the transition a lot easier."

"Hunter was a great player at Auburn. I had the opportunity to recruit him," Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. "For him to come back, once he has finished his professional career, to get his degree from Auburn and also to give back to his program is tremendous. I look forward to working with him and having him invest in our players as we continue to build Auburn baseball."

"I've got tons of respect for Coach Thompson. He recruited me when I was here. He was the pitching coach for my first year," Morris said. I always knew they truly cared about the players. I felt that. If it wasn't for that relationship, I might have tried to pursue coaching at the professional level.

"Auburn means so much to me and the relationship and the respect I have for Coach Thompson really pulled me back in this direction."

Fresh off seven seasons of pro ball, with the credibility that comes from being the SEC's best, Morris hopes to connect with Auburn's players on a unique level.

"I'm hoping that's a stepping stone to the relationship to then push those guys to win and be the best team possible," he said. "And if these guys, the players, can gain that professional mentality and be self-motivated, and be self-driven, you're going to see them maximizing their careers much sooner than some might expect."

Morris made his mark as a player on the Plains. Now, he plans to do the same as a coach.

"Coaching was certainly something that pulled at my heart," he said. "Anything to stay around the game, really, but also leaving a bigger impact on the game as a coach than a player. The game is going to go on without you. But, sometimes, just the thought of having an impact on a player's career certainly makes the transition more exciting."

[augolf1716 21,096]

nice

[auburnphan 6,050]

gonna be a great addition, "War Eagle" was given at every Brewer game when he was up with the club

[jared52 4,354]

I watched him thrive in HSV and hate his playing career ended like it did. He should be a good edition to the staff while he's at AU.

[NoALtiger 3,849]

Wow, I didn't even know he was out of pro ball. Figured he was a sure fire big leaguer. Glad to have him back nonetheless.

[AuburnNTexas 7,128]

Great pickup as a grad assistant.

[AU64 10,122]

Great pickup as a grad assistant.

True, and hard to believe he did not make it to the Bigs . He was as good a looking hitter as we have had at Auburn in quite a while. Just shows you how big a step it is to the majors from the SEC.

[SaltyTiger 7,764]

Great to have him back. kept with his play since he was an 11yr old playing travel ball against our group. always thought he would make the show.