Lots to get to today, folks, so let’s get to it:

* LHP Bryan Morris missed the first two months of the season with an impingement in his throwing shoulder, so his first start Sunday is worth going back and looking at. Morris was a former first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers who came to the Pirates organization in the Jason Bay trade last summer. Morris entered the year as the No. 5 prospect in the Pittsburgh organization, per Baseball America, and is the most highly touted pitching prospect in Lynchburg at this time.

He cruised through his first four innings Sunday in Wilmington before running into trouble in the fifth in a 4-1 loss. He only got one out in the fifth and allowed four earned runs. The final line—4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO.

Hillcats pitching coach Wally Whitehurst‘s take on Morris’ debut: “For the first time out, I thought he was pretty good. He gave us four strong innings, and then he got hit, but it wasn’t like he got hit. A lot of opposite-field base hits. He fell behind a little bit in the fifth inning. But overall, I thought it was OK. But you’ve got to be able to control damage, and he didn’t do that. But it was encouraging, him taking us into the fifth. He hadn’t given up anything until then.“

Morris’ command and location were “OK. He only walked one, which was good,“ Whitehurst said. “He probably could have pitched in a little bit more. But first time out, being on the road, you’ve got to take all of that into account. I thought he threw the ball well.“

Whitehurst said Morris didn’t report any lingering pain after the start, and his bullpen session today went fine. Morris’ next turn in the rotation comes Saturday night in Kinston.

* To make room for Morris, RHP Justin Wilson was reassigned to short-season Low-A State College, whose season doesn’t start for a few weeks yet. It’s been a trying start to the season for the rookie, who hadn’t pitched before this season since leading Fresno State to last year’s College World Series title. Wilson’s numbers in 11 starts: 3-3, 7.13 ERA, 41 2/3 IP, 21 BB, 34 SO, 10 HR allowed, .303 AVG against.

Simply put, Wilson didn’t miss enough bats. And when he did miss, he missed too far off the plate.

Whitehurst on Wilson’s stay in Lynchburg: “He’s just a young kid going through the ups and downs of baseball. He’s just got to find something in his delivery that works for him and stay with it. He’s got to be consistent.“

The jump from college ball to high-A ball is not an easy one, Whitehurst said.

“This is a big jump. Even though it doesn’t look like it to them, it is. You’ve got some older guys who have played two, three or four years, and understand the underpinnings of professional baseball. I don’t think he’s fully grasped all of that yet. It’s just something he’s going to have to go through.“

* PROSPECT WATCH: Frederick LHP Brian Matusz will start Thursday’s series finale, and it could be one of the pitcher’s last Carolina League starts. Matusz, the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft, has been outstanding for Frederick this season, going 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA in 11 starts. In 66 2/3 innings, he’s struck out 75 and walked just 21, and opponents are batting .225 against him. He had a 13-strikeout game this season and four other starts with eight or more punchouts. He hasn’t allowed a run since his May 20 start against the Hillcats in Maryland.

So Thursday offers an excellent opportunity for local fans to check out a guy who is probably on the fast track to the bigs. Plus, the Hillcats have some promotion where they sell dollar Diet Pepsi all night (along with other adult beverages ... wink).

For more on Matusz, check out this piece, which ran in the News & Advance in April.

* LHP Jeff Locke, who was part of last week’s trade that sent OF Nate McLouth from the Pirates to the Atlanta Braves, makes his Lynchburg debut tonight against Frederick’s Nate Nery. To make room for Locke in the roster, RHP Christian Castorri was reassigned to State College.

* And speaking of fourth overall draft picks, the Pirates are in that spot tonight. The draft starts in about a half hour, and it seems like the Washington Nationals are set to take some kid out of San Diego State. Not sure I’ve heard of him. Strasburg or something like that. (I keed, I keed).

Baseball America’s John Manuel has been blogging the draft live today, and he writes that nine of the top 10 picks are near locks at this point:

“Nine of the first 10 picks look fairly certain, with the only question coming at No. 9:

1. Nationals: San Diego State righthander Stephen Strasburg.
2. Mariners: North Carolina first baseman Dustin Ackley.
3. Padres: Georgia HS outfielder Donavan Tate.
4. Pirates: Boston College catcher Tony Sanchez.
5. Orioles: California HS righthander Matt Hobgood.
6. Giants: Georgia HS righthander Zack Wheeler.
7. Braves: Vanderbilt lefthander Mike Minor.
8. Reds: North Carolina righhander Alex White.

10. Nationals: Stanford righthander Drew Storen.“

Sanchez’s Boston College bio can be found here.

The Hillcats were first affiliated with the Pirates in 1995, and since then, every Pittsburgh first-round draft pick but one—OF Andrew McCutchen—has come through Lynchburg.

* One last piece of business to take care of: All-Star voting. The Hillcats enter tonight’s game with a 9 1/2-game lead over Frederick, but Lynchburg placed two players on the Carolina League All-Star team (OF Miles Durham and C Kris Watts), and Frederick placed six on the team. Interesting, to say the least. I was one of the media members to vote, and here was my ballot:

Pitcher Brad Meyers (Potomac), Jeff Mandel (Potomac), Brian Matusz (Frederick), Aaron Hartsock (Wilmington), Everett Teaford (Wilmington), Daniel Duffy (Wilmington), Charles Shirak (Winston-Salem), Matt McSwain (Lynchburg)

First base Brandon Waring (Frederick)

Second base Dale Mollenhauer (Winston-Salem)

Third base Lonnie Chisenhall (Kinston)

Shortstop Pedro Florimon, Jr. (Frederick)

Outfield Cody Johnson (Myrtle Beach), Miles Durham (Lynchburg), Jason Heyward (Myrtle Beach)

Catcher Kris Watts (Lynchburg)

Designated hitter Pedro Alvarez (Lynchburg)