Sean Murphy

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #3 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Murphy began his career at Wright State as a walk-on and ended it as the program's highest-drafted player in 10 years. He battled a long list of injuries, including breaking both hamate bones and a torn left meniscus, but he still emerged as the club's primary catcher down the stretch.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Murphy is an elite defensive catcher thanks to his athleticism and agility. His maturity as a game-caller, blocking and framing all receive plus grades, and his plus-plus arm was one of the strongest in the minors. At the plate, Murphy works the middle of the field with a compact swing and has the strength to produce 20-plus home run power. In addition to his work ethic, Murphy's leadership with his pitching staff draws rave reviews.
  
  THE FUTURE: Murphy had a second surgery on his left knee in October. He is expected to be ready for spring training and is in prime position to be Oakland's Opening Day catcher.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #3 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Murphy slipped to the Athletics in the third round in 2016 in part because he broke the hamate bone in his left wrist as a Wright State junior. He broke the hamate in his other hand in 2018, costing him a chance to play in the Futures Game and interrupting what had been a standout campaign at Double-A Midland.
  
  Scouting Report: Murphy is an exceptional defensive catcher who should hit enough to avoid being relegated to the bottom of the lineup. A high school growth spurt pushed him to 6-foot-3, but he retains the agility of a smaller man and the accompanying chip on his shoulder. Murphy shows at least plus raw power in batting practice and has the bat speed and strength to hit home runs, though he hasn't completely synced his swing in games to the satisfaction of all scouts. He has hit for average in the minors thanks to above-average plate discipline and plate coverage and an all-fields approach. Baserunners don't often test Murphy, whose double-plus arm and consistent sub-2 second pop times draw consistent praise. All he needs is improved throwing accuracy. He blocks and receives well but like most young catchers must add nuance to his game-calling and pitch presentation.
  
  The Future: Murphy returned to action at the tail end of 2018 and then added offseason reps in the Dominican League. He will catch every day at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2019 until the A's call him up to begin what should be a lengthy career as a first-division catcher.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #7 prospect in 2018
  After enduring a painful 2016, Murphy blossomed in 2017. In 2016, a broken hamate bone forced Murphy to miss a considerable portion of his junior season at Wright State, then a staph infection cost him six weeks with short-season Vermont. Murphy made the jump from high Class A Stockton to Double-A Midland in 2017, although he still missed time with inflammation in his hand as a result of the scar tissue from his hammate surgery. Murphy's mashed in the California League before his offensive numbers dipped when he got to the Texas League, but offense isn't his calling card. His defense is primarily what earned him his promotion, and defense will probably define him as he progresses through the system. Murphy's arm is universally plus-plus, with some calling it an “80” tool. He's thrown out 41 percent of runners in his pro career, and most teams simply stop running on him. He knows how to call game from behind the plate and is a plus receiver and blocker. Pitchers love throwing to him not only for his defense but also for his baseball intellect. At the plate Murphy has a simple swing with not much of a load, but he uses his considerable brute strength to bash the ball up the middle and to his pull side. He doesn't projects as much more than a fringe-average hitter, but his power could improve as he learns to better incorporate his lower half. Murphy is set to return to Double-A Midland in 2018, and he'll need to show he can stay healthy for a full season and make the necessary offensive adjustments. If he does, he'll be the Athletics' starting everyday catcher sooner rather than later.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #20 prospect in 2017
  Murphy was not drafted out of high school in Ohio--he was just 5-foot-9, 145 pounds as a junior--and got just one scholarship offer, from Wright State. He went on to be a two-time All-Horizon League selection, and three years and 70 pounds later, he was the highest-drafted Raiders player since Keith Gordon in 1990. Murphy had the strongest arm of the catchers in the 2016 class, with scouts pegging it as a 70 on the 20-80 scale. Despite his size, Murphy has above-average athleticism, moving well side-to-side and displaying good footwork. He is physical and durable, presents a quiet target and he blocks balls well. At the plate Murphy has average power potential due to solid bat speed and strength, but his offense lags behind his glove right now. He broke the hamate bone in his left hand while in college and contracted MRSA during the summer, which cost him about six weeks. Murphy needs more reps behind the plate and at the plate, but could move quickly for a catcher due to his advanced defense. He might skip to high Class A Stockton if the Athletics want to push him.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #63 prospect in 2016 draft
  In high school, Murphy looked like an undersized baseball rat whose work ethic would allow him to be a productive college backup. But like his father before him, Murphy hit a growth spurt, going from a 5-foot-9, 140-pound high school junior who walked on at Wright State to a 6-foot-3, 220-pound three-year starter. At 140 pounds Murphy dragged the bat through the zone with a front-foot heavy approach, but he's now developed above-average raw power, although a broken hamate kept scouts from seeing it through most of his junior season. Murphy does a good job of setting a low target, has a plus, accurate arm, blocks balls well and has excellent agility for a catcher. His hands work well but he can improve his pitch presentation. Murphy has the tools to be an everyday catcher and he's kept the work ethic that developed from his time as an undersized kid. He should hear his name called by early on day two of the draft.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #6 prospect in 2019
  Murphy missed nearly three months after surgery to repair a torn left meniscus and spent another three weeks on the injured list after reinjuring his knee in July. He performed when healthy, batting .308 with 10 homers in 31 games and receiving his first major league callup. Murphy’s patience and plus power stood out, but his defense made the biggest impression. Even nursing injuries, he showed the hands and blocking of a plus receiver to go with plus-plus arm strength. "From the other side in the visitor’s dugout,” Tacoma manager Daren Brown said, "there’s a lot to like watching him catch.”
• 
  Ranked Texas League #6 prospect in 2018
  Best known for his plus arm behind the plate, Murphy showed significant improvement as a hitter in his second taste of the TL. After struggling at Midland late in 2017, Murphy improved his numbers across the board and received a late-season promotion to Triple-A Nashville despite missing a month and a half with a broken right hamate bone. An unforgiving, windy home park at Midland limited Murphy to just eight home runs, but he showed his above-average power potential with 26 doubles and .498 slugging percentage. Evaluators gave Murphy rave reviews on both his blocking and receiving. That gives him the potential to be a plus defender at a premium position with a solid bat.
• 
  Ranked California League #13 prospect in 2017
  Murphy was known primarily for his cannon arm and general defensive excellence coming into the season. He quickly established himself as an offensive threat, too. The physical, muscular Murphy bashed 11 doubles and nine homers in 45 games before being promoted. Primarily a pull hitter at the start, he worked at staying up the middle of the field and began flashing all-fields power with limited swing-and-miss toward the end of his time in the Cal League. He demonstrated both solid hand-eye coordination and feel for the barrel. "Being able to handle a pitching staff--especially some of the guys he had there--and then also swing the bat as a catcher, that's a great thing to have," Modesto manager Mitch Canham said. "I watched him hit one out to all parts of the field. He uses what the pitchers give him, puts the barrel to the ball." Murphy also earned positive reviews for his game-calling and solid-average receiving and blocking. He used a plus-plus arm to throw out 33 percent of basestealers before opponents just stopped running on him, with just 46 attempts in Murphy's 91 games behind the plate.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #41 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #72 prospect in 2019

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Murphy began his career at Wright State as a walk-on and ended it as the program’s highest-drafted player in 10 years. He battled a long list of injuries, including breaking both hamate bones and a torn left meniscus, but he still emerged as the club’s primary catcher down the stretch.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Murphy is an elite defensive catcher thanks to his athleticism and agility. His maturity as a game-caller, blocking and framing all receive plus grades, and his plus-plus arm was one of the strongest in the minors. At the plate, Murphy works the middle of the field with a compact swing and has the strength to produce 20-plus home run power. In addition to his work ethic, Murphy’s leadership with his pitching staff draws rave reviews.
  
  THE FUTURE: Murphy had a second surgery on his left knee in October. He is expected to be ready for spring training and is in prime position to be Oakland’s Opening Day catcher.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Murphy began his career at Wright State as a walk-on and ended it as the program's highest-drafted player in 10 years. He battled a long list of injuries, including breaking both hamate bones and a torn left meniscus, but he still emerged as the club's primary catcher down the stretch.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Murphy is an elite defensive catcher thanks to his athleticism and agility. His maturity as a game-caller, blocking and framing all receive plus grades, and his plus-plus arm was one of the strongest in the minors. At the plate, Murphy works the middle of the field with a compact swing and has the strength to produce 20-plus home run power. In addition to his work ethic, Murphy's leadership with his pitching staff draws rave reviews.
  
  THE FUTURE: Murphy had a second surgery on his left knee in October. He is expected to be ready for spring training and is in prime position to be Oakland's Opening Day catcher.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Murphy missed nearly three months after surgery to repair a torn left meniscus and spent another three weeks on the injured list after reinjuring his knee in July. He performed when healthy, batting .308 with 10 homers in 31 games and receiving his first major league callup. Murphy’s patience and plus power stood out, but his defense made the biggest impression. Even nursing injuries, he showed the hands and blocking of a plus receiver to go with plus-plus arm strength. "From the other side in the visitor’s dugout,” Tacoma manager Daren Brown said, "there’s a lot to like watching him catch.”
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Murphy moves well behind the plate, especially for his 6-foot-4 size, and unleashes bazooka throws from his double-plus arm. That he has hit for average and plus power to all fields in the Texas League has sealed his status as the top position prospect in the system and one of the top catching prospects in baseball.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: After enduring a painful 2016, Murphy blossomed in 2017. In 2016, a broken hamate bone forced him to miss a considerable portion of his junior season at Wright State, then a staph infection cost him six weeks at short-season Vermont. Murphy also missed time with inflammation in his hand as a result of the scar tissue from his hamate surgery. Scouting Report: Murphy mashed in the high Class A California League in 2017 before his offensive numbers dipped when he reached Double-A Midland, but offense isn't his calling card. His defense is primarily what earned him his promotion and will probably define him as he progresses. Murphy's arm is easily plus-plus. He knows how to call a game and is a plus receiver and blocker. Murphy has a simple swing with not much of a load, but he uses his brute strength to bash the ball up the middle and to his pull side. He doesn't project as much more than a fringe-average hitter, but his power could improve as he incorporate his lower half. The Future: Murphy is set to return to Double-A in 2018, and he'll need to show he can stay healthy for a full season and make the necessary offensive adjustments.