- Full name Kyler Cole Murray
- Born 08/07/1997 in Mcallen, TX
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Oklahoma
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Drafted in the 1st round (9th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2018 (signed for $4,660,000).
View Draft Report
Coming out of high school in 2015, Murray was considered one of the best two-sport stars coming out of Texas in years. He has a familial history with both football and baseball. Murray's father, Kevin, was a star quarterback at Texas A&M in the early 1980s, while his uncle, Calvin, was a big league outfielder with multiple teams. Kyler would have been a potential late first-round pick out of high school if teams had thought he was signable, but as a two-sport star he told teams not to draft him because he was headed to Texas A&M. Murray has covered a lot of ground since then. He was supposed to be Johnny Manziel''s replacement for the Aggies, but he transferred to Oklahoma after starting three games and playing in eight as a freshman. That made Murray eligible to play his redshirt freshman season with the Sooners baseball team in 2017, but his rust was apparent. He hit .122 with no extra-base hits while struggling defensively in left field. Murray went to the Cape Cod League briefly last summer and, after serving as NFL No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield's backup last season (he threw 21 passes), he showed significant strides in his second season with the Sooners baseball team. Murray looked much more comfortable in center field this year than he did in the corners last year, as the easier reads of center allowed him to take more decisive routes and let his plus speed play. There's still a ton of projection involved with Murray because scouts know they aren't seeing him at his best. He has spent much of the spring splitting time between baseball and spring football practice, where he was battling for the Sooners' starting quarterback job. Scouts have generally seen more above-average than plus run times from him, but many believe that's because he's worn out. Similarly, he shows a 30 arm right now, but he doesn't get to work on his throwing arm for baseball because he is muscled up for football. At the plate, Murray's development this season has impressed evaluators. He is showing much more advanced pitch recognition and plate coverage, impressing with his ability to battle to deep counts. He has 20-25 home run potential down the road, with the bat speed that gives him a chance to develop into at least an average hitter as well. Murray's signability is going to be a tricky puzzle for teams. He has the leverage to demand a significant signing bonus to give up football or he could also look to sign a contract that allows him to continue to play football, something Anthony Alford, Kyle Parker and Russell Wilson have done in the past. But he could also opt to not sign and push any such decisions back a year--he'll still be a redshirt junior next June. As such, he's a tricky player for scouts to evaluate. On pure talent, he's a second- to third-round pick.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Track Record: Murray vexed scouts in 2018 because he had major league potential in both baseball and football--with no clear indication which sport he preferred. The Athletics thought his upside in baseball outweighed the downside of losing him to the NFL, so they selected him ninth overall and signed him for a near-slot bonus of $4.66 million. The deal allowed Murray to play quarterback for Oklahoma in 2018, when he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Sooners to the college football playoff.
Scouting Report: Despite not playing baseball regularly since he was a high school junior, Murray showed remarkable ability on the diamond as a redshirt sophomore in 2018. More surprising was that it came on the heels of a lackluster 2017, both in Big 12 Conference and Cape Cod League play. He hit for power, recorded high-end exit velocities and showed surprising fluidity in center field. He is a premium athlete who could be a standout defensive center fielder with an at least average arm. He appeared to pace himself in college by not cutting loose on throws or on the bases, and scouts believe he has more in the tank, with a chance for plus power, plus speed and a plus glove.
The Future: Murray has not participated in baseball activities since signing but committed to attending Oakland's minicamp in February as he prepares for his first spring training and what could be his first pro season in 2019. But because he has one year of college eligibility left on the gridiron, and because he could be drafted by an NFL team in April, the book is not entirely closed on football.
Draft Prospects
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Coming out of high school in 2015, Murray was considered one of the best two-sport stars coming out of Texas in years. He has a familial history with both football and baseball. Murray's father, Kevin, was a star quarterback at Texas A&M in the early 1980s, while his uncle, Calvin, was a big league outfielder with multiple teams. Kyler would have been a potential late first-round pick out of high school if teams had thought he was signable, but as a two-sport star he told teams not to draft him because he was headed to Texas A&M. Murray has covered a lot of ground since then. He was supposed to be Johnny Manziel''s replacement for the Aggies, but he transferred to Oklahoma after starting three games and playing in eight as a freshman. That made Murray eligible to play his redshirt freshman season with the Sooners baseball team in 2017, but his rust was apparent. He hit .122 with no extra-base hits while struggling defensively in left field. Murray went to the Cape Cod League briefly last summer and, after serving as NFL No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield's backup last season (he threw 21 passes), he showed significant strides in his second season with the Sooners baseball team. Murray looked much more comfortable in center field this year than he did in the corners last year, as the easier reads of center allowed him to take more decisive routes and let his plus speed play. There's still a ton of projection involved with Murray because scouts know they aren't seeing him at his best. He has spent much of the spring splitting time between baseball and spring football practice, where he was battling for the Sooners' starting quarterback job. Scouts have generally seen more above-average than plus run times from him, but many believe that's because he's worn out. Similarly, he shows a 30 arm right now, but he doesn't get to work on his throwing arm for baseball because he is muscled up for football. At the plate, Murray's development this season has impressed evaluators. He is showing much more advanced pitch recognition and plate coverage, impressing with his ability to battle to deep counts. He has 20-25 home run potential down the road, with the bat speed that gives him a chance to develop into at least an average hitter as well. Murray's signability is going to be a tricky puzzle for teams. He has the leverage to demand a significant signing bonus to give up football or he could also look to sign a contract that allows him to continue to play football, something Anthony Alford, Kyle Parker and Russell Wilson have done in the past. But he could also opt to not sign and push any such decisions back a year--he'll still be a redshirt junior next June. As such, he's a tricky player for scouts to evaluate. On pure talent, he's a second- to third-round pick.
Scouting Reports
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Murray gained serious draft helium as an Oklahoma junior in 2018 by hitting .296 with 10 home runs, though his status as the projected starting quarterback for the OU football team clouded his baseball future. The Athletics struck a deal with Murray as the No. 9 overall pick this year, signing him for $4.7 million and allowing him to play football this fall and delay his baseball career until 2019. Scouts love Murray’s bat speed, power and glove in center field, but his skills are raw after not playing much baseball in 2016 or 2017.
