Former Raider Murphy among MLB's best catchers
1/20/2021 2:45:00 PM | Baseball
Former Wright State standout and current Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy has been named the fifth-best catcher on MLB Network's list of the Top 10 Catchers Right Now, and was also unanimously selected to the 2020 MLB Rookie All-Star Team by Baseball Digest, the publication announced on January 4.
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Murphy had a solid rookie campaign, finishing the shortened season with a .233 batting average, hitting seven homers and five doubles. His 131 OPS+ led the A's as he showed the potential to be a key part of their future. He took off over the final month of the season. He produced a .277 batting average with five of his home runs in that time frame.
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He added a pair of homers in the 2020 postseason, with his first career postseason blast kickstarting Oakland's offense as the Athletics came from behind to with the deciding game of the American League Wild Card. Murphy followed that up with a solo homer in game one of the American League Division Series, making him the first Oakland catcher with multiple home runs in the same postseason since Ray Fosse in 1974.
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In addition to the Baseball Digest recognition, Murphy finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and was named as a candidate for the All MLB Team at catcher. He was also selected as a first team member on MLB Pipeline's 2020 All-Rookie Team and rated as the eighth-highest rookie in relation to future value back in September.
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A third-round draft pick of the Athletics in 2016, Murphy came to Wright State as a walk-on from Centerville and proceeded to start 150 games over three seasons, earn Horizon League Freshman of the Year honors in 2014 and earn all-league accolades all three years as a Raider. During his time in a Raider uniform, Wright State went 124-56 (.689), winning two Horizon League regular season and tournament championships while making two NCAA tournament appearances.
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Murphy had a solid rookie campaign, finishing the shortened season with a .233 batting average, hitting seven homers and five doubles. His 131 OPS+ led the A's as he showed the potential to be a key part of their future. He took off over the final month of the season. He produced a .277 batting average with five of his home runs in that time frame.
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He added a pair of homers in the 2020 postseason, with his first career postseason blast kickstarting Oakland's offense as the Athletics came from behind to with the deciding game of the American League Wild Card. Murphy followed that up with a solo homer in game one of the American League Division Series, making him the first Oakland catcher with multiple home runs in the same postseason since Ray Fosse in 1974.
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In addition to the Baseball Digest recognition, Murphy finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and was named as a candidate for the All MLB Team at catcher. He was also selected as a first team member on MLB Pipeline's 2020 All-Rookie Team and rated as the eighth-highest rookie in relation to future value back in September.
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A third-round draft pick of the Athletics in 2016, Murphy came to Wright State as a walk-on from Centerville and proceeded to start 150 games over three seasons, earn Horizon League Freshman of the Year honors in 2014 and earn all-league accolades all three years as a Raider. During his time in a Raider uniform, Wright State went 124-56 (.689), winning two Horizon League regular season and tournament championships while making two NCAA tournament appearances.
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