He was cut from the Lehman JV team as a freshman and his fastball struggles to break the speed limit. He won’t pump his fist no matter the occasion.
Meet Dymin Morillo, the most unlikely ace in the PSAL.
Expressionless and skinny, the senior 5-foot-9 southpaw has taken on the new role this spring and run with it, going 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in league play and picking up the win Wednesday over Tottenville in the Monroe Tournament quarterfinals.
Varsity assistant Alex Tirado, who was the JV coach three years ago, said Morillo’s talent was obvious but his work ethic was severely lacking. He complained about running sprints and preferred to stay out of the weight room. The year away from baseball, a sport he’s played his entire life, was a wakeup call.
“It made me what I am now,” he said. “It made me realize I have to work a lot harder. I got a personal trainer. I improved a lot as a player and it shows on the field.”
Morillo began going to the Tony Melendez Baseball Academy near Lehman, made the varsity as a sophomore and was the club’s No. 2 starter last year behind ace Tyler Gurman. Now he’s the team’s unquestioned No. 1, despite lack of zip on his fastball.
“I don’t feel like it’s different,” Morillo said. “It’s almost the same as last year. I still have to throw strikes, still have to get wins.”
Granted, when asked how he feels about his new status, he smiled.
“I’ve always liked it,” said Morillo, who went 6-1 last year. “They trust you the most to get wins.”
With a deceptive motion, sharp curveball and effective changeup, Morillo gets by with location and keeping hitters off balance. He pitches to contact, allowing his fielders to do work behind him.
“An ace doesn’t have to throw hard,” Lehman coach Adam Droz said. “You can throw 99 miles per hour, but you don’t throw strikes, what good is that? Dymin throws strikes — strikes are gonna get people out.”
Morillo, in fact, said he “doesn’t believe” an ace has to be overpowering. Instead of reaching back for a little extra, he makes sure to hit spots.
“If you win the game, [your velocity] doesn’t matter,” he said.
His pitches are as hard to read as his demeanor. Droz, known for his intensity, said initially it was frustrating when the entire team was so energized and his pitcher was yawning on the mound. Soon, he found out, Morillo was burning inside to compete. It just never came out.
Wednesday was an apt example. After getting touched up for five runs in the fourth inning against Tottenville, he got out of a big jam by retiring Stony Brook-bound catcher Kevin Krause and shortstop Gil Mendoza. Then, he retired the side in order over the next two frames, setting the stage for Lehman’s thrilling comeback.
“No matter that he was getting hit, he was out there pitching his heart out,” Droz said. “He was getting outs. You gotta stick with a guy like that.”
It was a performance typical of an ace — without his best stuff Morillo perservered against an elite foe — but from a pitcher that may not look the part.
