Luke Murphy Stats & Scouting Report

IP	32.1
ERA	5.29
WHIP	1.48
BB/9	2.78
SO/9	10.3

Full name Luke Evan Murphy
Born 11/05/1999 in Nashville, TN
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Vanderbilt
Drafted in the 4th round (110th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 (signed for $750,000).

View Draft Report

Murphy didn’t get to pitch for Vanderbilt in 2019 because he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. His 2020 return was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. So 2021 was his first chance to really show what he could do with the Commodores. Working out of Vanderbilt’s bullpen, Murphy ended up serving as the team’s closer. He went 4-1, 2.70 with nine saves. He struck out 61 and walked 15 in 41 innings. Murphy sat 94-95 mph and touched 98-99 pretty regularly in 2021. He relied heavily on that fastball, rarely mixing in a curveball and slider that are less developed. Murphy did work multiple innings regularly. While he didn’t start at Vanderbilt--the Commodores had plenty of other options--there’s a chance a team could try to work him as a starter in pro ball.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: Murphy redshirted his freshman year at Vanderbilt after having Tommy John surgery and pitched just two innings the following year, but he finally got extended mound time in 2021 and recorded nine saves as the Commodores closer. The Angels drafted him in the fourth round and signed him for an overslot $747,500 bonus. Murphy jumped straight to Double-A to begin his full-season debut in 2022 and dominated with a 2.62 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts-per-nine as Rocket City's top setup man.

Scouting Report: Murphy is a tall, lanky righthander who dominates with two pitches. He heavily uses his 94-97 mph fastball that plays well up in the zone and complements it with a sweepy 83-87 mph slider that misses bats but is inconsistent because he struggles to locate it. Murphy has a cross-body delivery that limits him to well below-average control, but he has cleaned it up somewhat to keep his body more on line to the plate and prevent him from yanking his slider. Murphy's deceptive delivery and high three-quarters arm slot allow him to create good plane on his pitches and make him difficult to square up when he's in the strike zone.

The Future: Murphy has moved quickly through the system and is developing quickly. He could be a middle reliever in the Angels bullpen by mid-2023 if he improves his control.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Control: 30
Track Record: The end of Murphy’s college career was much better than the beginning. After sitting out the 2019 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and pitching only four times in pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Murphy spent 2021 as Vanderbilt’s closer and went 4-1, 2.40 with nine saves. The Angels drafted him in the fourth round and signed him for $747,500.

Scouting Report: The lanky Murphy relies heavily on a fastball that sits at 94-95 mph and touches 98-99. He has good command of the four-seamer and locates it in all four quadrants of the strike zone. His best secondary offering is a sweeping slider with movement that has the potential to be a wipeout pitch. He is developing a curveball and changeup but didn’t throw either pitch much in college. Murphy didn’t start at Vanderbilt, but he worked multiple innings regularly and can be stretched out.

The Future: Murphy’s fastball-slider combination is suited to a high-leverage relief role. He could move quickly and reach the upper levels of the minors in 2022.

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: Murphy redshirted his freshman year at Vanderbilt after having Tommy John surgery and pitched just two innings the following year, but he finally got extended mound time in 2021 and recorded nine saves as the Commodores closer. The Angels drafted him in the fourth round and signed him for an overslot $747,500 bonus. Murphy jumped straight to Double-A to begin his full-season debut in 2022 and dominated with a 2.62 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts-per-nine as Rocket City's top setup man.

Scouting Report: Murphy is a tall, lanky righthander who dominates with two pitches. He heavily uses his 94-97 mph fastball that plays well up in the zone and complements it with a sweepy 83-87 mph slider that misses bats but is inconsistent because he struggles to locate it. Murphy has a cross-body delivery that limits him to well below-average control, but he has cleaned it up somewhat to keep his body more on line to the plate and prevent him from yanking his slider. Murphy's deceptive delivery and high three-quarters arm slot allow him to create good plane on his pitches and make him difficult to square up when he's in the strike zone.

The Future: Murphy has moved quickly through the system and is developing quickly. He could be a middle reliever in the Angels bullpen by mid-2023 if he improves his control.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Control: 30
BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: Murphy redshirted his freshman year at Vanderbilt after having Tommy John surgery and pitched just two innings the following year, but he finally got extended mound time in 2021 and recorded nine saves as the Commodores closer. The Angels drafted him in the fourth round and signed him for an overslot $747,500 bonus. Murphy jumped straight to Double-A to begin his full-season debut in 2022 and dominated with a 2.62 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts-per-nine as Rocket City's top setup man.

Scouting Report: Murphy is a tall, lanky righthander who dominates with two pitches. He heavily uses his 94-97 mph fastball that plays well up in the zone and complements it with a sweepy 83-87 mph slider that misses bats but is inconsistent because he struggles to locate it. Murphy has a cross-body delivery that limits him to well below-average control, but he has cleaned it up somewhat to keep his body more on line to the plate and prevent him from yanking his slider. Murphy's deceptive delivery and high three-quarters arm slot allow him to create good plane on his pitches and make him difficult to square up when he's in the strike zone.

The Future: Murphy has moved quickly through the system and is developing quickly. He could be a middle reliever in the Angels bullpen by mid-2023 if he improves his control.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Control: 30
BA Grade: 40/High

Track Record: The end of Murphy&#39s college career was much better than the beginning. After sitting out the 2019 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and pitching only four times in pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Murphy spent 2021 as Vanderbilt&#39s closer and went 4-1, 2.40 with nine saves. The Angels drafted him in the fourth round and signed him for $747,500.

Scouting Report: The lanky Murphy relies heavily on a fastball that sits at 94-95 mph and touches 98-99. He has good command of the four-seamer and locates it in all four quadrants of the strike zone. His best secondary offering is a sweeping slider with movement that has the potential to be a wipeout pitch. He is developing a curveball and changeup but didn&#39t throw either pitch much in college. Murphy didn&#39t start at Vanderbilt, but he worked multiple innings regularly and can be stretched out.

The Future: Murphy&#39s fastball-slider combination is suited to a high-leverage relief role. He could move quickly and reach the upper levels of the minors in 2022.
Track Record: The end of Murphy’s college career was much better than the beginning. After sitting out the 2019 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and pitching only four times in pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Murphy spent 2021 as Vanderbilt’s closer and went 4-1, 2.40 with nine saves. The Angels drafted him in the fourth round and signed him for $747,500.

Scouting Report: The lanky Murphy relies heavily on a fastball that sits at 94-95 mph and touches 98-99. He has good command of the four-seamer and locates it in all four quadrants of the strike zone. His best secondary offering is a sweeping slider with movement that has the potential to be a wipeout pitch. He is developing a curveball and changeup but didn’t throw either pitch much in college. Murphy didn’t start at Vanderbilt, but he worked multiple innings regularly and can be stretched out.

The Future: Murphy’s fastball-slider combination is suited to a high-leverage relief role. He could move quickly and reach the upper levels of the minors in 2022.