Max Moroff

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Max Moroff

| image = Max Moroff in 2017 (34361189243) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Moroff with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017

| position = Infielder

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|5|13}}

| birth_place = Winter Park, Florida, U.S.

| bats = Switch

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = July 31

| debutyear = 2016

| debutteam = Pittsburgh Pirates

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = May 26

| finalyear = 2021

| finalteam = St. Louis Cardinals

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .175

| stat3label = Home runs

| stat3value = 7

| stat4label = Run batted in

| stat4value = 35

| teams =

Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|2016}}–{{mlby|2018}})
Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|2019}})
St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|2021}})

}}

Maxwell Anthony Moroff (born May 13, 1993) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, and St. Louis Cardinals.

Career

Moroff was a member of the Maitland Little League team that represented Maitland, Florida and the Southeast region at the 2005 Little League World Series.{{Cite web |last=League |first=Little |title=Major Leaguers Played in LLBWS |url=https://www.littleleague.org/who-we-are/alumni/major-leaguers-played-llbws/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Little League |language=en-US}} He was teammates with Dante Bichette Jr., and the team's two assistant coaches were former MLB players Mike Stanley and Dante Bichette. He attended Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, Florida.

=Pittsburgh Pirates=

Moroff was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 16th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-06/sports/os-hs-central-florida-baseball-draft-0607-20120606_1_baseball-draft-sign-draft-39th-round|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528065951/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-06/sports/os-hs-central-florida-baseball-draft-0607-20120606_1_baseball-draft-sign-draft-39th-round|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 28, 2015|title=Day 3 of baseball draft|work=tribunedigital-orlandosentinel}} He signed on the last day of the trade deadline for $300,000 which equated to a 4th round slot bonus.{{cite web|url=http://www.bucsdugout.com/2012/7/13/3156936/mlb-draft-signing-deadline-open-thread|title=MLB Draft Signing Deadline Open Thread: Pirates Sign Max Moroff|author=Charlie Wilmoth|date=July 13, 2012|work=Bucs Dugout|accessdate=February 20, 2016}} On July 24, 2012, Moroff made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Pirates as the shortstop and leadoff hitter. He had a single, three walks and a stolen base.{{cite web|url=http://www.bucsdugout.com/2012/7/24/3185264/pirates-minor-league-roundup-good-starts-from-luis-heredia-nick|title=Pirates Minor League Roundup: Good Starts From Luis Heredia, Nick Kingham And (Sort Of) Justin Wilson|author=WTM|date=July 25, 2012|work=Bucs Dugout|accessdate=February 20, 2016}} He has progressed a level every season, spending 2013 with the West Virginia Power and 2014 with the Bradenton Marauders.

Moroff was assigned to the Double-A Altoona Curve to begin the 2015 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/player/max-moroff-621559|title=Max Moroff Stats, Highlights, Bio – Altoona Curve Stats|work=Altoona Curve|access-date=February 20, 2016}} Moroff was named player of the week by the Eastern League for the week of April 20–26, batting .474 with four doubles, one triple, one homer, four RBI and two runs scored in 5 games.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-120816572|title=E.L. Tabs Max Moroff as League's Player of the Week – Altoona Curve News|work=Altoona Curve|access-date=February 20, 2016}} Moroff was then named to the Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star team{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-133992460|title=Eastern League All-Star Rosters Announced – Eastern League News|work=Eastern League|access-date=February 20, 2016}} where he started as the second baseman for the Western division. Towards the end of the season, Moroff was selected as a 2015 Eastern League All-Star.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-145896502|title=Eastern League announces 2015 end-of-season All-Star Team – MiLB.com News – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|work=Minor League Baseball|access-date=February 20, 2016}} He finished the season breaking an Altoona Curve franchise record with 153 hits as a switch hitter, which was last set in 2002 at 142 hits.{{cite web|url=http://m.milb.com/t522/2015_08_26_reaaax_altaax_1/article/20150826145637070/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121133016/http://m.milb.com/t522/2015_08_26_reaaax_altaax_1/article/20150826145637070/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 21, 2015|title=8/26 REA vs ALT F/10 -Reading|publisher=|accessdate=February 20, 2016}} On September 11, Moroff was named by Baseball America to one of the Minor League Classification All-Star Teams, where he was selected as the AA second baseman out of the Eastern League, Texas League, and Southern League.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2015-classification-star-teams/|title=2015 Minor League Classification All-Star Teams|work=BaseballAmerica.com|accessdate=February 20, 2016}} On September 15, Moroff was named as the Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League Player of the Year, after batting .293 with 28 doubles, six triples, seven home runs, 51 RBI, 17 stolen bases, 79 runs scored and a .322 on-base percentage. He also led the Eastern League in runs scored (79) and games played (136) while also ranking second in hits (153), third in walks (70) and fourth in total bases (214). In the field, Moroff led all Eastern League second basemen in fielding percentage (.978), double plays (76) and assists (330).{{cite web|url=http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/09/15/pirates-name-minor-league-players-of-the-year/|title=Pirates Name Minor League Players of the Year|date=15 September 2015|publisher=|accessdate=February 20, 2016}} The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster after the season.{{cite web|url=http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/157808348/pirates-add-4-prospects-to-40-man-roster|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121142322/http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/157808348/pirates-add-4-prospects-to-40-man-roster|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 21, 2015|title=Pirates add 4 prospects to 40-man roster|work=Pittsburgh Pirates|accessdate=February 20, 2016}}

=Cleveland Indians=

On November 14, 2018, the Pirates traded Moroff and Jordan Luplow to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Erik González, Tahnaj Thomas, and Dante Mendoza.{{cite web| url = http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25276872/cleveland-indians-pittsburgh-pirates-trade-five-players-teams| title = Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates trade five players between teams| date = 14 November 2018}} In 20 games for the Indians, he hit .125/.176/.250 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base. Moroff was designated for assignment on May 5, 2019, and was subsequently outrighted to the minor leagues after clearing waivers on May 11. Moroff elected free agency following the season on November 4.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2019/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2019|author=Matt Eddy|website=Baseball America|date=November 7, 2019|accessdate=November 8, 2019}}

=New York Mets=

On December 5, 2019, Moroff signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets organization.{{cite web|url=https://metsinsider.mlblogs.com/mets-sign-of-jarrett-parker-inf-max-moroff-to-minor-league-b0ee85e6e5ea|title=Mets Sign OF Jarrett Parker & INF Max Moroff to Minor League Contracts|website=MLB.com|author=New York Mets|date=December 5, 2019|accessdate=December 5, 2019}} He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=September 23, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}} Moroff became a free agent on November 2, 2020.{{Cite web|title=Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/full-list-of-2020-2021-milb-free-agents/|access-date=September 23, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

=St. Louis Cardinals=

On December 15, 2020, Moroff signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals organization and was invited to Spring Training.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/12/minor-mlb-transactions-121520.html|title = Minor MLB Transactions: 12/15/20| date=15 December 2020 }} On May 14, 2021, Moroff was selected to the active roster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/05/cardinals-place-paul-dejong-on-10-day-il-select-max-moroff.html|title=Cardinals Place Paul DeJong on 10-Day IL, Select Max Moroff|date=14 May 2021 }} On June 6, it was announced that Moroff would require season-ending surgery on his left shoulder after previously suffering a shoulder subluxation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/06/central-notes-mondesi-twins-moroff-white-sox.html|title = Central Notes: Mondesi, Twins, Moroff, White Sox| date=6 June 2021 }} In six games for St. Louis, he batted 1-for-16 (.063) with one RBI. He was placed on the 60-day injured list on June 17.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/06/cardinals-sign-wade-leblanc.html|title = Cardinals Sign Wade LeBlanc| date=17 June 2021 }} On November 5, 2021, Moroff was outrighted off of the 40-man roster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cardinals-max-moroff-outrighted-to-triple-a/|title = Cardinals' Max Moroff: Outrighted to Triple-A| date=5 November 2021 }} He elected free agency two days later.{{cite web|title=2021-22 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2021-22-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=February 18, 2025|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}