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Toronto Picks Up Ex-Knights' Third Baseman Brent Morel.

December 26, 2013

2006 Knights' MVP Moves from White Sox to Blue Jays

Toronto Picks Up Ex-Knights' Third Baseman Brent Morel.

Brent Morel (pictured playing third base for the Knights at Mt. Hood CC in 2006) is headed north of the border.

The Toronto Blue Jays claimed the former Aloha/Corvallis Knights third baseman on waivers from the Chicago White Sox on Monday, December 23 ending Morel's six-year association with the club that drafted him in the third round in 2008 after a standout career at Cal Poly.

Morel was added to Toronto's 40-man MLB roster.

He will report to the team's Dunedin, Fla., spring-training base next February in hopes of winning a big-league job. Click here for more details regarding Brent's signing from the BlueBirdBanter.com website.

Brent played all or part of four seasons with the White Sox after a steady advance through their farm system. He first made the majors with a September, 2010, callup, and then spent the entire 2011 season as their starting third baseman. He hit .241, with 10 homers and 41 RBIs, and seemingly positioned himself for a long run with the team by hitting six homers in September.

However, subsequent back injuries curtailed him offensively and defensively and he spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons alternating between the White Sox and their triple-A International League affiliate in Charlotte, N.C.

Last season Morel hit .200 (5-25) in 12 games with the ChiSox, and .266 (105-395), with six homers and 54 RBIs, in 106 games at Charlotte.

The Blue Jays have three other third basemen on the 40-man MLB roster, led by holdover Brett Lawrie, who played 106 games there in 2013. Veteran Andy LaRoche has major-league experience but spent most of the season at triple-A Buffalo.

Toronto also signed veteran minor-leaguer Jarod Goedert in the off-season; he played at triple-A Indianapolis in 2013 and has no major-league experience.

Morel was the MVP of the 2006 Aloha Knights and was honorable-mention all-WCCBL after his freshman season at Cal Poly. He played briefly for the Corvallis Knights in 2007 before being sidelined for the summer by an injury.