David Murphy
| AB | 3467 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .274 |
| OBP | .333 |
| SLG | .432 |
| HR | 104 |
- Full name David Matthew Murphy
- Born 10/18/1981 in Houston, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Baylor
- Debut 09/02/2006
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Drafted in the 1st round (17th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2003 (signed for $1,525,000).
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After a wrist injury led to a disappointing sophomore season, Murphy rebounded with a strong summer in the Cape Cod League. He has ridden that momentum to an outstanding junior season that has made him a likely late or supplemental first-round pick. His tools play well across the board. He has size (6-foot-3 and 195 pounds) and strength, and hits for average with gap power. His plate discipline and sweet lefthander stroke make him tough to strike out, though he'd hit for more power if he added loft to his swing. Murphy has solid average speed and arm strength, and he plays a quality right field. At least one team has asked Baylor to play Murphy in center field so it can gauge his potential there, but Chris Durbin's presence eliminates that option.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Murphy's development has been slow and deliberate since the Red Sox drafted him 17th overall in 2003, but he finally broke through to the big leagues for a brief stint in 2006 and was traded to Texas along with Kason Gabbard and Engel Beltre in July's Eric Gagne deal. The Rangers gave him a longer look in the majors after the trade, and he was one of the team's hottest hitters down the stretch. Murphy has plus raw power, but his smooth, easy swing is more tailored to making contact and finding the gaps in games. He has a mature, patient approach and does not strike out often. Defensively, Murphy is adequate in all three outfield positions, thanks to average speed, good instincts and a solid arm. He's not a burner on the basepaths, and he doesn't hit for enough power to hold down a corner outfield spot, but he's a versatile enough defender with enough offensive ability to fit in as a quality fourth outfielder for the Rangers in 2008. Unless he taps into his raw power in his late 20s, Murphy doesn't figure to profile as an everyday outfielder. -
When the Red Sox made Murphy the 17th overall pick in the 2003 draft, they hoped he'd be ready to take over in center field when Johnny Damon's contract expired two years later. That didn't come to fruition, though Murphy did make his big league debut in 2006, highlighted by a homer off Jaret Wright. Whether he becomes a major league regular probably will depend on how much he can tap into his raw power. Murphy is capable of driving balls 400-450 feet in batting practice, but in games he uses an easy, level swing designed more for contact and doesn't attack the ball. If he adds loft and gets more aggressive, he could hit 20- plus homers annually. Murphy has come further with his defense in pro ball after playing right field in college. He has shown he can handle center field, where his average speed plays up thanks to his instincts and positioning. He could wind up as a tweener, however, because his bat fits better in center while his defense is more suited for right. The Red Sox had all but finalized a deal with J.D. Drew, which would close off the possibility that Murphy would platoon with Wily Mo Pena in right field. He'll try to help Boston as a useful reserve instead. -
The Red Sox deliberated between taking Murphy or Conor Jackson with the 17th overall pick in the 2003 draft. Boston ultimately went for Murphy, while Jackson since has established himself as one of the game's best hitting prospects. Murphy, meanwhile, has encountered more than his share of adversity after signing for $1.525 million. He pulled the muscle off the bone in his left foot in a freak baserunning accident in 2004, ruining his first full season. When he was hitting .230 with one homer through mid-June last year, it looked like his bat might never come around. But Murphy made adjustments and hit .301 with 16 doubles and 13 homers in the final 2 1/2 months. He has plus raw power that's starting to come out, and he should hit more homers if he can add strength to his lanky, athletic frame. The key for Murphy was refining his ability to manage counts, getting ahead so pitchers had to feed him pitches he can drive. He also improved his timing and worked with Portland batting coach Russ Morman to keep his bat in the zone longer. Even when he wasn't hitting, he never stopped working and didn't let his struggles affect his baserunning or defense. One of the reasons the Red Sox took him over Jackson was that they projected Murphy as a center fielder even though he played right field at Baylor. Murphy's conversion has gone well, and he earned the organization's first-ever minor league defensive player of the year award in 2005. Murphy has average speed but covers more than enough ground in center because he plays hard, positions himself well and has good instincts. He goes back well on balls and his arm is above-average for a center fielder. Murphy could push for the Boston center-field job toward the end of 2006. -
Murphy was rarely at his best in his first full pro season. He was in the midst of a month-long .170 slump in May when he caught his spike in the batter's box and sustained a freak injury, pulling the muscle off the bone in his left foot. He missed a week, came back for five games, then spent the next two months on the sidelines. After he returned in August, he began to hit the ball with authority for the first time as a pro. As with many of the hitters they've drafted in recent years, the Red Sox really like Murphy's approach. The question is how much pop he'll have once he grows into his frame. He's more of a line-drive, gap-to-gap hitter right now and needs more loft in his swing, though he can show plus raw power in batting practice. Boston took him with the hopes he could play center field, and Murphy is adjusting well to that position after playing mostly right field at Baylor. His speed and arm are average, but his instincts and athleticism help him get the job done in center. He'll return to high Class A in 2005 so he can build confidence before he gets promoted. -
For the second time in three years, Baylor produced Boston's top draft pick. Murphy's stock began to rise in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2002 and didn't stop until he went 17th overall last June. The Red Sox adore Murphy's approach at the plate, exemplified by his first two pro at-bats. He took the first eight pitches he saw, drawing a walk and working a 3-0 count before lacing an opposite-field double on his first swing. He may be able to stick in center field after Chris Durbin (Boston's 10th-round pick) kept him in right at Baylor. Murphy's arm and speed are solid average. While Murphy has raw power, he'll need to add strength and more loft to his swing in order to tap into it. He's still learning to play center field and lacks the speed usually associated with the position, though his instincts and athleticism work in his favor. Murphy will return to high Class A after scuffling there in 2003. Ideally, he'd be ready for Boston when Johnny Damon's contract ends after the 2005 season.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Murphy was taken 17th overall by the Red Sox as they looked for polished college players who could move quickly to restock the upper levels of their farm system. Murphy delivered, batting .346 with excellent strike-zone judgment to earn a promotion to high Class A. "He had a nice approach at the plate," Staten Island manager Andy Stankiewicz said. "He was a more of a gap-to-gap guy when I saw him, but once he gets a better feel for the wood he should start hitting some balls out of the park." Murphy has an athletic body and showed a stylish lefthanded swing with slight arc and projectable power. He does a good job of staying back and drives pitches to the gaps. He has solid-average speed and arm strength, plus good reactions in the outfield.
