2025 MLB Draft: Mason Morris contract details revealed for Cincinnati Reds third-round pick

On Sunday, the Cincinnati Reds selected former Ole Miss right-handed pitcher Mason Morris with the No. 83 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. MLB.com’s Jim Callis revealed Morris’ rookie contract details on Friday.

“3rd-rder Mason Morris signs w/ [Reds] for $897,500 (slot 83 value = $964,800),” Callis wrote on X. “RHP, some of the nastiest stuff in the SEC: wicked low-90s cutter, fastball to 99 mph, upper-80s slider. Could be a starter if he adds more polish.”

Morris is coming off the best season of his career statistically, earning a 5-1 record to go along with a 3.29 ERA. Across 54.2 innings pitched, Morris struck out 78 batters while allowing 45 hits and giving up six home runs across 229 batters faced. 

It was his second season as a regular member of the Ole Miss pitching rotation, as he logged 7.2 innings of work as a true freshman. In total, he has 95.1 innings of college baseball under his belt. 

“He battled his control and command for most of his first two college seasons at Mississippi before finding more success this spring,” his MLB scouting report reads. “While the Rebels have used him almost exclusively as a reliever, a pro team may try him as a starter. Morris’ best pitch is a low-90s cutter that dives at the plate, and hitters can’t lay off it or make much contact against it. 

“He also throws a solid upper-80s slider with similar shape, and while it’s less devastating than his cutter, he does a better job of landing it for strikes. Raising his arm slot helped him add 4 mph to his fastball as a junior, and he now deals at 95-97 mph with a peak of 99. The downside is that Morris’ heater has more downhill plane than life and doesn’t miss bats in the strike zone, so he’ll have to improve its shape at the next level.”

Scouts expect him to be a bullpen arm in the professional ranks. His scouting report noted that based on his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame, he could be built to handle an increased workload if he becomes an MLB starter down the line. 

On top of his pitching, Morris was used as a two-way player during his lone season in the Cape Cod League in 2023. In 39 games, he logged 25 hits and 12 RBIs while averaging .207 at the plate. However, he only had one at-bat during his college career and that was during his true freshman season.

On3’s Barkley Truax also contributed to this report.