Nyjer Morgan Net Worth

What Is Nyjer Morgan's Net Worth?

Nyjer Morgan is a former American professional baseball player who has a net worth of $1 million. Also known by his alter ego "Tony Plush," Morgan played parts of seven Major League Baseball seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Cleveland Indians. He later played professionally in Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and Venezuela.

Morgan was an unconventional professional athlete from the beginning. Before focusing on baseball, he spent four years playing junior hockey in Canada and reached the Western Hockey League. He did not begin playing college baseball until his 20s and was eventually selected by the Pirates in the 33rd round of the 2002 MLB Draft. Morgan overcame that modest draft position to become a starting major league center fielder known for elite speed, aggressive baserunning, strong defense, and an outsized personality. He finished his MLB career with a .282 batting average, 550 hits, and 120 stolen bases in 598 games.

Morgan's defining season came with Milwaukee in 2011. He hit .304 for a Brewers team that won 96 games and captured the NL Central, then delivered the walk-off single that clinched the team's first postseason series victory in 29 years. Away from the field, his eccentric "Tony Plush" character made him one of baseball's most memorable personalities. After his playing career ended, Morgan eventually returned to the game as a youth baseball coach.

Early Life and Hockey Career

Nyjer Jamid Morgan was born on July 2, 1980, in San Francisco, California, and grew up in the San Jose area.

Morgan became fascinated with hockey as a child after watching the sport during the 1988 Winter Olympics. Baseball was not initially his primary athletic focus.

At 16, Morgan left California to pursue junior hockey in Canada. Over the next four years, he played for several teams in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. He eventually reached major junior hockey with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.

Morgan scored two goals in his first WHL game but appeared in only seven games for Regina. His professional hockey prospects eventually faded, prompting him to turn his attention toward baseball.

That background made Morgan one of the relatively rare modern Major League Baseball players to have previously competed at a high level in organized hockey.

College Baseball and MLB Draft

After leaving hockey, Morgan enrolled at Walla Walla Community College in Washington and played two seasons of baseball.

His speed immediately stood out. Morgan was originally selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 42nd round of the 1998 MLB Draft while still pursuing hockey, but he did not sign.

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected him again in the 33rd round of the 2002 draft, with the 973rd overall pick.

Morgan signed with Pittsburgh and began his professional baseball career in 2003 at age 22.

Despite entering professional baseball significantly later than most prospects, Morgan advanced steadily through the Pirates' farm system. During his first minor league season, he hit .343 and stole 26 bases. The following year, he stole 55.

By 2007, Morgan had reached Triple-A and was among the fastest players in Pittsburgh's organization.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Morgan made his Major League debut for the Pirates on September 1, 2007, at age 27.

He performed well during his first taste of the majors, batting .299 in 28 games while displaying the speed and defensive range that would define his career.

Morgan struggled to establish himself during the first half of 2008 but returned to the majors later in the season and gradually secured a larger role.

He became Pittsburgh's primary left fielder in 2009 and batted .277 with 18 stolen bases in 71 games before the Pirates traded him midway through the season.

On June 30, 2009, Pittsburgh sent Morgan and pitcher Sean Burnett to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan.

The trade transformed Morgan's career.

Washington Nationals

Morgan was outstanding immediately after arriving in Washington.

In 49 games with the Nationals during the second half of 2009, he batted .351 with a .396 on-base percentage and stole 24 bases. Combining his Pittsburgh and Washington statistics, Morgan finished the year with a .307 batting average, 42 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored.

His speed and defense made him an instant favorite on a Nationals team that was still several years away from becoming a perennial contender.

Morgan returned as Washington's starting center fielder in 2010, playing alongside a roster that was beginning to add future stars such as Stephen Strasburg.

The season was much more difficult.

Morgan batted .253 and stole 34 bases but was caught stealing a league-high 17 times. He also became involved in a series of controversial incidents that changed his reputation around baseball.

In August 2010, MLB suspended Morgan after determining that he had thrown a baseball into the stands toward a fan in Philadelphia, although that suspension was later overturned on appeal.

Days later, Morgan collided with St. Louis Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson even though there was no play at home plate.

The controversy peaked against the Florida Marlins.

Marlins Brawl

During an August 31 game against Florida, Morgan collided with catcher Brett Hayes at home plate, separating Hayes' shoulder.

When the teams played again the following night, Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad hit Morgan with a pitch. Morgan responded by stealing second and third base despite Washington trailing badly.

Later in the game, another Volstad pitch sailed behind him.

Morgan charged the mound.

The former hockey player threw a punch at the 6-foot-8 Volstad before Marlins first baseman Gaby Sánchez leveled Morgan, triggering a bench-clearing brawl.

Major League Baseball suspended Morgan for eight games and fined him $15,000 for his role in the fight and other recent incidents.

The sequence cemented Morgan's reputation as one of baseball's most unpredictable personalities.

Washington traded him the following spring.

Milwaukee Brewers and "Tony Plush"

In March 2011, the Nationals traded Morgan to Milwaukee in exchange for minor leaguer Cutter Dykstra, the son of former MLB star Lenny Dykstra.

The change of scenery proved perfect.

Morgan joined a talented Brewers roster featuring Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Zack Greinke.

He also fully embraced a character he called Tony Plush.

Morgan described Tony Plush as his on-field alter ego: louder, more confident, and more flamboyant than his everyday personality. He sometimes referred to himself in the third person and developed additional alter egos including Tony Gumbo, Tony Hush, and Tony Tombstone.

The act could irritate opposing teams, but Brewers fans embraced it.

More importantly, Morgan played extremely well.

He hit .304 with a .357 on-base percentage in 119 games while sharing center field duties with Carlos Gómez. Milwaukee finished 96-66, won the NL Central, and reached the postseason for only the second time since the franchise's 1982 World Series appearance.

2011 NLDS Walk-Off

Morgan produced the defining moment of his career on October 7, 2011.

The Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks were tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 10th inning of the decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series.

With Carlos Gómez on second base, Morgan hit a ground-ball single up the middle. Gómez raced home with the winning run.

Milwaukee won 3-2.

The hit sent the Brewers to the National League Championship Series and gave Milwaukee its first postseason series victory in 29 years.

Braun subsequently dubbed Morgan "Tony Clutch."

The Brewers ultimately lost the NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals, but Morgan's walk-off remains one of the most famous hits in franchise history. When Milwaukee returned to the postseason in 2018, the Brewers invited him back to throw out a ceremonial first pitch.

Rich Pilling/Getty Images

Final Brewers Season

Morgan's production declined significantly in 2012.

He batted .239 in 122 games and lost playing time as Gómez emerged as Milwaukee's primary center fielder. Morgan also set an unusual MLB record by opening the season with 138 plate appearances without recording an RBI.

He finally drove in his first run on June 1 with a home run.

Morgan earned $2.35 million that season after avoiding arbitration, by far the largest MLB salary of his career.

Milwaukee removed him from its roster after the season, and Morgan chose to continue his career overseas.

Japan, Cleveland, Korea, and Mexico

Morgan signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan for the 2013 season.

The move rejuvenated his career.

In 108 games, Morgan batted .294 with 11 home runs and 50 RBI. The 11 homers equaled his entire MLB career total to that point.

Morgan returned to the United States in 2014 and signed with the Cleveland Indians. He played well in limited action, batting .341 with a .429 on-base percentage through 15 games, before suffering a knee injury in May.

He never appeared in another Major League game.

Morgan signed a one-year contract with the Hanwha Eagles of South Korea for 2015. The deal was worth $700,000, including a $150,000 signing bonus. His KBO career lasted just 10 games before Hanwha released him.

He continued playing in Mexico in 2016 and enjoyed another productive season, batting .306 with 11 home runs and 22 stolen bases for the Pericos de Puebla. Morgan helped Puebla win its first Mexican League championship in 30 years.

His final professional appearances came in Mexico in 2017.

Career Earnings

Nyjer Morgan earned roughly $5 million in Major League Baseball salaries.

Because he did not establish himself in the majors until his late 20s, Morgan spent most of his MLB career earning salaries near the league minimum. His pay increased substantially in 2012, when Milwaukee paid him $2.35 million.

Morgan also signed significant contracts overseas. Yokohama paid him $1.6 million for the 2013 season, while his 2015 Hanwha contract had a stated value of $700,000.

Altogether, Morgan's publicly reported MLB and major international contracts had a face value of more than $7 million, not including his earlier minor league pay or earnings from Mexico and winter baseball.

Career Statistics

Morgan appeared in 598 Major League games between 2007 and 2014.

He finished with a .282 batting average, .343 on-base percentage, 550 hits, 12 home runs, 136 RBI, 288 runs, and 120 stolen bases.

His best skill was speed. Morgan stole 42 bases in 2009 and another 34 in 2010, while his defensive range allowed him to cover considerable ground in center field.

Although his major league career was relatively brief, Morgan's personality and the Brewers' 2011 playoff run gave him a cultural footprint much larger than his career statistics might suggest.

Life After Baseball

Morgan stepped away from baseball for several years after his playing career ended and eventually settled in South Florida with his family.

He became involved in real estate, including operating Airbnb properties.

Baseball eventually drew him back.

By 2024, Morgan was volunteering with youth baseball programs in the Miami area and working with young players at organizations including the Howard Palmetto Baseball & Softball Association. He also worked with players at Coral Gables High School.

Morgan began referring to the latest version of his alter ego as "Coach Plush."

He has spoken about wanting to expand his work with underserved children and potentially establish a facility where he can coach baseball full-time.

Personal Life

Morgan is married and has children. Earlier in his career, he dated Jordana Lenz, who later appeared on VH1's "Baseball Wives."

Away from baseball, Morgan has remained an avid hockey fan, particularly of the San Jose Sharks, and has also followed the San Francisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors.

His unlikely path from junior hockey player to 33rd-round baseball draft pick, Major League center fielder, international player, and postseason hero remains one of the more unusual athletic journeys of his era.

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