Tom Murphy (catcher)

Thomas James Murphy Jr. (born April 3, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Colorado Rockies. Prior to playing professionally, Murphy played college baseball for the University at Buffalo.

Tom Murphy
Murphy with the Colorado Rockies in 2018
Seattle Mariners – No. 2
Catcher
Born: (1991-04-03) April 3, 1991
West Monroe, New York, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 12, 2015, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.244
Home runs48
Runs batted in126
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 2015 Toronto Team

Amateur career

Murphy attended Paul V. Moore High School in Central Square, New York, where he played for the school's baseball team. He had a .510 batting average in his senior year, and was honored as All-Central New York (CNY) and the CNY Athlete of the Year.[1] In high school, Murphy was recruited to play college baseball at Buffalo, St. John’s, Michigan, Wagner, Le Moyne and Monmouth.[2]

Murphy ultimately committed to play baseball at the University at Buffalo.[3] In the summer of 2010, he played summer league baseball with the Oneonta Outlaws of the New York Collegiate Baseball League.[4] In 2011, he was named the Mid-American Conference Baseball Player of the Year after leading the conference with a .384 batting average.[5] That summer, he played for the Holyoke Blue Sox of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), and hit a home run off of Kevin Gausman over the Green Monster at Fenway Park against the United States Collegiate National Team in the NECBL All-Star Game.[6][7]

Professional career

Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies selected Murphy in the third round, with the 105th overall selection, of the 2012 MLB draft.[8] In 2012, he played for the Tri-City Dust Devils of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League.

In 2013, he plays for the Asheville Tourists of the Class A South Atlantic League (SAL), where he was named SAL Hitter of the Week for the week of April 29 through May 5, 2013.[9][10] He received a midseason promotion to the Tulsa Drillers of the Class AA Texas League.[11]

In 2014, Murphy returned to Tulsa, but was limited to 27 games as a result of a shoulder injury.

In 2015, he began the season with the Rockies' new Class AA affiliate, the New Britain Rock Cats of the Eastern League.[12] He was chosen to play for the United States national baseball team in the 2015 Pan American Games.[13][14] Following the Pan American Games, the Rockies promoted Murphy to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.

The Rockies promoted Murphy to the MLB on September 11, 2015.[15] Murphy made his MLB debut on September 12 against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.[16] Murphy hit his first MLB home run on September 19 at Coors Field off San Diego Padres pitcher Marcos Mateo.[17]

Prior to the 2016 season, Baseball America ranked him the 97th best prospect in MLB.[18] He missed substantial time during the 2016 season due to an oblique injury suffered at the end of spring training.[19]

Seattle Mariners

Murphy was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants on March 25, 2019.[20] On March 28, Murphy was designated for assignment after failing to make the Opening Day roster.[21] The next day, the Giants traded Murphy to the Seattle Mariners for Jesus Ozoria.[22] Murphy excelled upon being acquired by Seattle, as he set career highs offensively including hitting 18 home runs and driving in 40 RBI in 75 games. Murphy missed the entire 2020 season, staying on the injured list with a fractured metatarsal in his left foot.[23]

In 2021, Murphy appeared in a career-high 97 games, hitting .202/.304/.350 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI. The following season, he made 14 appearances for the Mariners, hitting .303/.439/.455 with one home run and one RBI. On June 23, 2022, it was announced that Murphy would require season-ending surgery to repair a shoulder injury.[24]

On January 13, 2023, Murphy agreed to a one-year, $1.625 million contract with the Mariners, avoiding salary arbitration.[25]

Personal life

Murphy was raised by his parents, Kelly and Tom Sr., in West Monroe, New York.[26] The family are fans of the New York Yankees.[6]

Murphy and his wife, Lindsay, have one daughter and one son together and reside in Constantia, New York.[27]

References
  1. "Oswego County Weeklies". Oswego County Weeklies. October 17, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  2. "Tom Murphy - Buffalo". University at Buffalo Athletics. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  3. Harrington, Mike (June 30, 2021). "Tom Murphy returns with Mariners to a place he never played while at UB". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  4. "PGCBL Pro Alumni" (PDF). Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  5. "UB's Murphy wins top honor in MAC baseball - Sports". The Buffalo News. May 28, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  6. King, Tom (June 28, 2011). "Tom Murphy of Holyoke Blue Sox blasts one over the Green Monster as Team NECBL downs Team USA". masslive.com. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  7. Gleason, Bucky (April 24, 2012). "One at-bat puts catcher on the radar". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  8. "Murphy of UB drafted by Rockies - Sports". The Buffalo News. June 6, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  9. Ballew, Bill. "SAL notes: Rox's Murphy embraces role | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  10. Lee, David (May 11, 2013). "Asheville catcher Tom Murphy makes organization look good | The Augusta Chronicle". Chronicle.augusta.com. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  11. Dykstra, Sam (January 1, 2013). "Butler, Herrera break out for Rockies | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  12. "Eastern League notes: Healthy Colorado Rockies prospect Tom Murphy powering New Britain Rock Cats - MiLB.com News - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  13. "Rock Cats catcher, Tom Murphy, named to USA Baseball roster". New Britain Herald. Central Connecticut Communications. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  14. Klajman, Ed (July 19, 2015). "Murphy finds heartbreak in baseball final". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  15. "Valley Blue Sox alum Tommy Murphy called up by Colorado Rockies". MassLive.com. September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  16. Groke, Nick (September 13, 2015). "Rockies' manager Walt Weiss unsure of lineup against Clayton Kershaw". Denver Post. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  17. Groke, Nick (September 19, 2015). "Rockies pound Padres behind Christian Bergman, dodge 100-loss season". Denver Post. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  18. "Top 100 Prospects". Baseball America. February 13, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  19. Saunders, Patrick (September 2, 2016). "Tom Murphy and Raimel Tapia called up by Rockies". Denver Post. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  20. Jerry McDonald (March 25, 2019). "Giants continue search for catching depth, claim Tom Murphy". Mercurynews.com. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  21. "San Francisco Giants set Opening Day roster, DFA Mac Williamson, Alen Hanson and Tom Murphy". March 28, 2019.
  22. "Mariners trade for San Francisco Giants catcher Tom Murphy | Tacoma News Tribune". Thenewstribune.com. March 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  23. Divish, Ryan (July 22, 2020). "Mariners leaving summer camp without services of catcher Tom Murphy". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  24. "Mariners' Tom Murphy: Requires season-ending surgery". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  25. "2023 MLB Arbitration Tracker". MLBTradeRumors. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  26. Manganiello, Joe (September 12, 2016). "Central Square product Tom Murphy soars at Coors Field". Watertown Daily Times. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  27. "Tom Murphy finds place with Seattle Mariners".
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