August 13, 2026
By Kevin Glew
Cooperstowners in Canada
Former Toronto Blue Jays catching prospect David Morgan passed away unexpectedly at his home in Cohasset, Mass., on July 25 at the age of 54.
He reportedly died of a heart attack.
After being selected in the 18th round of the 1993 MLB draft by the Blue Jays out of Harvard University, Morgan played six seasons in the organization, including two with their Rookie ball affiliate in Medicine Hat, Alta.
“Dave was a devoted husband, extraordinary father, beloved son, brother, uncle, coach, mentor, teammate, and friend whose generosity, humor, and kindness touched countless lives,” reads part of his official obituary.
Grew up in Massachusetts
Born on November 19, 1971 in Newton, Mass., Morgan grew up in nearby Needham. His father, also named David, played college football at the University of Southern California for three seasons.
“Athletics was a big part of my upbringing, but dad never made any demands when it came to playing sports and let me choose my own path, and that’s what I will pass on to my daughter,” Morgan told the Boston Globe in a 2015 interview.
The younger Morgan did, of course, choose sports and he excelled at them. In high school, at Roxbury Latin School in Boston, he was the captain of the baseball, football and basketball teams, and during his senior year, he was named Independent School League Player of the Year in all three sports.
Morgan was also an exceptional student. He turned down a football scholarship to the University of Maryland to attend Harvard where he would study English Literature and have the opportunity to play football and baseball.
At Harvard, the 6-foot-4 Morgan served as a backup quarterback and punter on the football team and as a slugging catcher/first baseman on the diamond. In 1993, he was named Ivy League Baseball Player of the Year. When he played for Harvard in the Beanpot tournament, an annual competition between four Greater Boston area colleges, he belted a trio of home runs at Fenway Park. This performance helped convince the Blue Jays to choose him in the 18th round of the 1993 MLB draft after his junior year.
“His ability is much higher than an 18th round pick,” Mike Giardi, the captain of Harvard’s baseball team, told the Harvard Crimson about Morgan in 1993. “His potential and the power in his arm is unbelievable. He should have gone between the 10th and 15th rounds, probably in the 10th.”
Harvard baseball coach Leigh Hogan said Morgan would be irreplaceable on the roster.
“Dave’s one of the finest hitters we’ve had at Harvard,” he told the Harvard Crimson in 1993. “Nobody’s going to fill Dave’s shoes 100 percent, we’re not going to try to do that. He’s a genuine major league prospect.”
Begins pro career in Medicine Hat
Morgan never revealed what his signing bonus with the Blue Jays was, but it was enough to convince him to forego his senior year at Harvard.
Morgan primarily played first base in his final season at Harvard, but the Blue Jays drafted him as a catcher – and that was just fine with the young prospect. He believed catching provided a faster route to the big leagues.
So, in 1993, Morgan went from an ivy school campus to riding the buses for the Medicine Hat Blue Jays. In Rookie ball, he was making $850 a month and $150 of that was going to rent.
“My life was not at all glamorous,” Morgan told the Harvard Crimson after his first season with Medicine Hat. “We would travel by bus for 13-to-15 hours for a three-game stand in Idaho then we would travel another five hours to Montana. We would end up playing in three different states in one week. It was hard on the body and the mind.”
Despite a thumb injury, Morgan batted .238 with a .360 on-base percentage (OBP) with five home runs and 34 RBIs in 62 games in his first pro season. His performance was promising enough for the Blue Jays to invite him to Instructional League that fall.
In 1994, Morgan returned to Medicine Hat but injuries limited him to 16 games. The following campaign, he was elevated to class-A Hagerstown where he played a career-high 67 games and batted .265 with four home runs and 26 RBIs. This earned him a promotion to High-A Dunedin in 1996, where he hit .261 with four homers and a .404 OBP in 39 games.
He returned to Dunedin in 1997 before being summoned to the double-A Knoxville Smokies where he had a .273 batting average in 21 games.
Unfortunately, he was sent back to High-A Dunedin the subsequent season and despite posting the best power numbers of his career (five home runs and a .500 slugging percentage in 28 games) he was released by the club.
Life after pro playing career
Following his playing career, Morgan returned to Massachusetts and worked in the mortgage industry. For the last 16 years, he was employed by Fairway Independent Mortgage in Hingham, Mass. His most recent role was branch manager.
For a stretch, Morgan also served as the president of the Cohasset Youth Baseball and Softball Association and coached the baseball and football teams at his old high school.
“The message I give my players is to win with class,” Morgan told the Boston Globe in 2015.
Morgan is survived by his wife, Pamela, and his teenage daughter, Libby.
“Dave was devoted to Libby, enormously proud of her, and present for every moment in her life. He was her greatest supporter, teacher, protector, coach and biggest fan. Whether traveling to tournaments, talking sports, or simply spending time together, Dave treasured every moment with Libby,” reads part of Morgan’s official obituary. “She was his greatest joy, his proudest accomplishment, and the very best part of his life. He never missed anything that involved Libby and was always on the sidelines cheering at every single volleyball, basketball and softball game.”
Among Morgan’s former Blue Jays teammates to have expressed condolences on the Cooperstowners in Canada Facebook page have been Brad Cornett and Ray Giannelli, as well as longtime Blue Jays coach John McLaren.
“His greatest legacy is not found in newspaper headlines, athletic records, or professional accomplishments,” reads part of Morgan’s official obituary. “It lives in the people he coached, the families he helped, the friendships he nurtured, and the countless lives he made better simply by being part of them. He had an uncommon gift for making every person feel important, heard, and valued. That is how he will be remembered.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support a college fund for Morgan’s daughter.
Leave a Reply