Eli Morgan Bio
Elijah Allan Morgan (born May 13, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher. A left-handed thrower, Morgan has pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Guardians, the Chicago Cubs, and the Kansas City Royals. He played college baseball at Gonzaga University, where he developed into one of the top strikeout pitchers in the West Coast Conference before being selected by Cleveland in the 2017 MLB draft. Morgan is known for his changeup, command, and high strikeout rates.
Now wearing number 34, Morgan made his MLB debut with the Indians in 2021 and later transitioned into a reliable relief role. After spending parts of four seasons in Cleveland, he was traded to the Cubs following the 2024 season and eventually signed with the Royals in early 2026.
Early Life and Background
Morgan was born on May 13, 1996, in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. He is the son of Dave and Diana Morgan. His father, Dave Morgan, is a former deputy sports editor for the Los Angeles Times, which gave the younger Morgan an early familiarity with athletics and journalism. He has a sister named Briana.
Morgan grew up in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County and currently resides in Redondo Beach, California. He is of Jewish parentage through his father, although he does not personally identify as Jewish. His upbringing in Southern California helped shape his path toward competitive baseball.
Path to Professional Baseball
Morgan attended Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Estates, California, where he starred on the baseball team. During his senior year in 2014, he posted a 10–2 win–loss record with a 1.23 earned run average (ERA). He was recognized as the Bay League Co-Pitcher of the Year and earned All-California Interscholastic Federation First Team honors. Although he was not selected in the 2014 MLB draft, he joined the Yakima Valley Pippins of the collegiate West Coast League that summer and went 8–0 as an All-Star.
He then enrolled at Gonzaga University as a walk-on and pitched for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. As a freshman in 2015, he posted a 1–0 record with a 2.36 ERA in 14 appearances, finishing among the conference leaders in WHIP and walks per nine innings. After a strong sophomore year in which he went 10–3 with a 3.73 ERA and led the West Coast Conference with three shutouts, he played for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod League.
Morgan’s junior season in 2017 cemented his draft stock. He went 10–2 with a 2.86 ERA and struck out 138 batters in just over 100 innings, leading the nation in strikeouts per nine innings at 12.3. He was named a Perfect Game/Rawlings First Team All-American, a Collegiate Baseball Second Team All-American, and was a three-time National Player of the Week. Cleveland selected him in the eighth round of the 2017 MLB draft, and he signed for a $135,000 bonus.
Eli Morgan Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Morgan began his professional career with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the Low-A New York–Penn League in 2017, going 3–2 with a 1.03 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 35 innings. Baseball America recognized him for having the best changeup in Cleveland’s farm system that year. He spent 2018 splitting time between the Single-A Lake County Captains and the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats, posting a 9–7 record with a 3.27 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 143⅓ innings. He was again recognized for his changeup, was named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star, and earned Cleveland’s 2018 Minor League Pitcher of the Year award.
In 2019, Morgan moved through the system at Lynchburg, Akron, and Columbus, going a combined 9–6 with a 3.39 ERA and 146 strikeouts in 140⅔ innings. He led Cleveland’s minor leaguers in innings pitched and finished second in strikeouts. After the 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cleveland added him to the 40-man roster in November 2020.
Cleveland Indians / Guardians Era (2021–2024)
Morgan made his MLB debut on May 28, 2021, starting against the Toronto Blue Jays in difficult weather conditions. Despite a rough first outing, he lowered his ERA each successive month and finished his rookie season 5–7 with a 5.34 ERA in 18 starts. In 2022, he transitioned to the bullpen and thrived, going 5–3 with a 3.38 ERA and 10 holds in 50 appearances. He struck out 72 batters in 66⅔ innings and ranked among American League relievers in first-strike percentage, walks per nine innings, and strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also pitched in the 2022 American League Wild Card Series, striking out two batters without allowing a baserunner.
Morgan continued as a key reliever in 2023, appearing in a career-high 61 games and posting a 4.01 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 67⅓ innings. In 2024, he was especially effective, going 3–0 with a 1.93 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 32 games covering 42 innings, anchoring the Guardians’ bullpen through the first half of the season.
Chicago Cubs Era (2025)
On November 20, 2024, the Guardians traded Morgan to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor league prospect Alfonsin Rosario. He struggled early with the Cubs, going 0–1 with a 12.27 ERA in his first seven appearances, and was placed on the injured list in mid-April 2025 with a right elbow impingement. The injury was later specified as an inflamed ulnar nerve, and he was transferred to the 60-day injured list in May.
Morgan was activated in September 2025 and optioned to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. On November 21, 2025, Chicago non-tendered him, making him a free agent.
Kansas City Royals Era (2026–Present)
On January 29, 2026, Morgan signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. The Royals selected his contract on March 25, 2026, and optioned him to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, where he has continued to work as a depth arm for the major league staff.
Driving Style and Strengths
Morgan relies on a low-90s four-seam fastball that touches 94 mph, an above-average changeup sometimes called the “Bugs Bunny” changeup, and a two-version slider that sits in the low-to-upper 80s. He is widely recognized for his command and pitch efficiency, allowing him to work ahead in counts and limit free passes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Morgan’s MLB debut in gale-force winds against the Blue Jays in 2021, his dominant 2022 relief season that placed him among the American League leaders in multiple rate statistics, and his 2024 bounce-back campaign with a sub-2.00 ERA stand out as the signature moments of his career so far.
Eli Morgan Career Statistics
Through the 2025 season, Morgan had compiled an 18–14 win–loss record with a 4.27 ERA and 281 strikeouts across his MLB career with Cleveland and Chicago. He has been a consistent middle-relief option, with his strongest stretch coming in 2022 when he emerged as one of the top setup men in the American League.
Cleveland / Guardians Highlights
Morgan’s most productive stretch came in 2022, when he appeared in 50 games with a 3.38 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 6.09. He also pitched effectively in the 2022 Wild Card Series and posted a 1.93 ERA in 2024 before being traded.
Other Performances
Beyond the majors, Morgan starred in the minors, including a 3–2 debut season with Mahoning Valley and a 2018 season split between Lake County and Lynchburg that earned him Cleveland’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year award. He has continued to contribute at the Triple-A level with Iowa and Omaha.
Eli Morgan Family
Family Background
Morgan is the son of Dave and Diana Morgan. His father is a former deputy sports editor for the Los Angeles Times, and he has a sister named Briana. He grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes and continues to make his home in Redondo Beach, California.
Personal Life
Morgan maintains close ties to his Southern California roots and is known to keep his personal life private. His cultural background includes Jewish heritage through his father, though he does not identify as Jewish.
2025 Season Performance
Morgan’s 2025 season was disrupted by injury. After being traded to the Cubs in the offseason, he struggled to a 12.27 ERA in his first seven appearances before a right elbow impingement landed him on the injured list in mid-April. The issue was later diagnosed as an inflamed ulnar nerve, and he was transferred to the 60-day injured list in May, keeping him sidelined for much of the summer.
He was activated in September and optioned to Triple-A Iowa, finishing the year without a return to the major league roster. With Chicago non-tendering him in November, Morgan entered the offseason as a free agent looking to bounce back in 2026.
