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ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF. - Standing at 6 '8'’, Gary Morse has often drawn comparisons to the handful of towering aces in the Majors who dominate due to utilizing their unique frame.

“When I was little, I idolized Clayton Kershaw," said Morse. "When I started to grow and realized I was not going to be a lefty, I began watching and studying lengthy pitchers like Tyler Glasnow and Logan Gilbert and began to build off the similarities I share with those guys."

As for the decision to where to play collegiate ball to hopefully end up in the majors like Glasnow and Gilbert, it was a decision that wasn’t made in a heartbeat.

“It took a lot of time. For me, I wanted to really evaluate everything before taking the final step. My decision came down to where I was going to call home for the next few years.”

On January 18, the Prep Baseball All-American and number one ranked right-handed pitcher in the state took to social media to announce he will be taking his dominant presence on the mound to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the fall of 2026. 

“My official visit to the University of Tennessee was when they played Alabama in football. It was a really crazy environment and everything around me felt like family when I was there," said Morse. "At halftime, they did their awards ceremony for the 2024 National Champion team and it was really cool to see the baseball team get celebrated in front of all the Tennessee fans. It felt to me that baseball was just as important as the other big sports on campus.”

The reigning NCAA D1 National Champions, headlined by standout 2B Christian Moore, had a total of eight draft picks in the first ten rounds of the 2024 MLB June Amateur Draft – the most of any division one program.

Morse hopes to bring more championships back to Rocky Top, and help feed the great fanbase of the Volunteers.

“I am looking forward to the environment of the SEC games and I can definitely say Tennessee fans are unmatched."

Getting top recognition from scouts and coaches alike was a long process for Morse. As a freshman, Morse was considered a complete unknown until attending a tryout for the Prep Baseball Future Games.

“Prep Baseball California really got me on the map. After the tryout, I made the Future Games roster and it was an amazing atmosphere. Any given game I was at had more college coaches in the stands than players on the field, which I thought was sick.”

Morse at the 2023 Future Games

At the event in LakePoint, Georgia, Morse topped 90.7 MPH with an average spin rate of 2095 RPM with his fastball. Propelling off the success of a dominant sophomore season, Morse was named Trinity League Rookie of the Year and received a First Team All-League selection after posting a 3-0 record and 1.52 ERA in league play. Morse also earned himself a selection to the 2024 Prep Baseball All-American Game. There, his fastball was up to 92 MPH with an average spin rate of 2291 RPM. Additionally, Morse showed off his crafty change-up as well as his devastating curve.

“The Prep Baseball All-American Game was a blast. Playing alongside the best players in the country while playing in an MLB stadium in Miami was super great. I got to hear Tony Vitello talk at the event, not knowing then he was going to be my future coach.”

Morse at the 2024 All-American Game

As for his current coach, new hire RJ Farrell will work to fill the shoes that Eric Borba once wore as head coach of a prestigious Orange Lutheran program for sixteen seasons. Farrell is in his sixth year with the program and will also serve as assistant athletic director for the first time this year. In his tenure as assistant coach, the program earned two league championships and advanced to three CIF semi-finals. The program is coming off its most impressive feat, in which they won the CIF Regional championship.

“We have a new head coach this year, RJ Farrell. I feel that we have a really good environment going on this year and I’m excited to get going.”

The roster is filled with both youth and experience, as well as a plethora of committed talents. 

Two standout seniors for the Lancers are committed to division one programs: INF Wyatt Hanoian (Air Force) and RHP Colt Peterson (Stanford).

Morse’s battery mate, ‘26 Brady Murrietta, is committed to the University of Texas and will be joined in the state of Texas by fellow junior and infielder Gavin Hottle (Texas Christian University).

‘26 RHP/OF Tristian Ramos will stay close to home and is committed to play at Long Beach State.

‘26 UTL Hamilton Friedberg is also committed to play at Air Force.

"We got a lot of young guys. Lot of talent left last year, but we got a lot of talent coming up.”

Uncommitted players include ‘26 INF Justin Lopez and ‘25 UTL Noah Haros.

“We also have a lot of underrated players on the squad including Noah Haros who is extremely underrated. That's my guy; Don’t sleep on him.”

“For me, I’m just trying to take a bigger step in being a leader and guiding the younger guys. As for right now, I’d say we are led by Josiah Hartshorn. He’s a highly touted prospect who is generating a lot of looks which is great for the entire team.”

Hartshorn, the number one ranked OF in the state and number three ranked OF in the country, is committed to Texas A&M. 

As for being a leader himself, Morse believes it all boils down to how well the little things get done.

“I am always trying to do the little things better. Always shagging balls in the outfield and helping out with picks. By setting the standard, hopefully the younger guys will follow.”

When it comes to stepping on the rubber, Morse relies on his talents, defense behind him, but most importantly, his confidence. 

“As soon as I step on the mound, I feel like I’m the best player on the field and there is no way this batter can beat me.”

In his sophomore season, Morse pitched to the tune of a 1.18 ERA and bolstered a record of 6 wins and 2 losses over the course of 12 appearances. Morse’s dominance on the mound and leadership in the clubhouse helped to ultimately pave the way for Orange Lutheran’s 2024 CIF regional championship victory.

“The goal is always letting my pitches build off each other and pound the zone in and out. The art of pitching is all about being efficient as possible and giving our team the best chance to win."

The close knit-bond of the Orange Lutheran team, led by Morse and company, hopes to repeat their success from last year, and start off Coach Farrell’s head coaching campaign with a bang. 

“I love to compete and I love watching others compete. Relationships are huge and the tighter you are as a group leads to making the game easier. Having as much fun as possible while still getting things done is what I try to do.”

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Showcase	State	Date	Location
Orange County Rising Stars ID (2029-2030 Grads)	CA	03/02	Mater Dei High School - Santa Ana, CA
Central California Rising Stars ID (2029-2030 Grads)	CA	03/23	Ventura College - Ventura, CA
Inland Empire Rising Stars ID (2029-2030 Grads)	CA	03/30	Corona High School - Corona, CA
Los Angeles Rising Stars ID (2029-2030 Grads)	CA	04/27	O'Malley Field - Sepulveda Basin, CA
2025 Future Games Tryout: Fullerton	CA	05/31	Fullerton College
2025 Future Games Tryout: Los Angeles	CA	05/31	Loyola Marymount University
2025 Future Games Tryout: Malibu	CA	05/31	Pepperdine University - Malibu, CA
2025 ProCase - West	CA	06/01	Loyola Marymount University - Los Angeles, CA
2025 Future Games Tryout: Central California	CA	06/07	Antelope Valley College - Lancaster, CA
2025 Future Games Tryout: Northern California	CA	06/14	Consumnes River College - Sacramento, CA

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