Welcome back to LWOS 2016 MLB Draft Coverage, the column that brings you player profiles for the next crop of professional baseball players that are likely to be selected in the upcoming draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow us on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical profiles and scouting reports. Click here to check out our complete coverage of the 2016 MLB Draft. Last Word On Sports is your new headquarters for all things 2016 MLB Draft!
Overview
School: Wright State
Position: Catcher
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 195 lbs.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Sean Murphy 2016 MLB Draft Profile
Sean Murphy did not receive a lot of attention from scouts while he was in high school, and as a consequence went undrafted. The Centerville, Ohio, product chose to attend Wright State, and immediately began to grab national attention.
As a freshman, Murphy hit .301 with four home runs, thirty-five RBI, and ten steals on his way to being named Horizon League Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, he was even better. He hit .329 and led the Raiders to the sixth Regional in school history and was named to the NCAA regional tournament team. Now in his junior year, Murphy’s hitting has fallen off slightly. He’s hitting just .265 after missing twenty-two games due to a broken bone in his hand, but does have a career-high five home runs.
Murphy really established himself in the Cape Cod League last summer. While he did not hit as well as he has in college level play, his work behind the plate established him as a top catching prospect. Though his power has yet to really show itself, he did hit three home runs with wood bats in Cape Cod League play despite struggling offensively for the most part. Given time, he should develop more power.
Strengths:
- Plus power potential
- Advanced all-around defensive game
- Strong, accurate arm from behind the plate
- Affinity for pitch framing
- Runs well
Weaknesses:
- Swing is too long at times
- Can look unbalanced in the batters box
MLB Comparison: J.T. Realmuto, Catcher, Miami Marlins; Christian Vazquez, Catcher, Boston Red Sox
Projected Pick Range: 70-85 overall
Most Likely Landing Spots: San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles
Bottom Line
Murphy plays defense like a future gold glover, and that alone makes him valuable. Any sort of improvement with the bat would make him a star one day. The relatively shallow pool of catching talent in this year’s draft class could vault him into the late first round, but he’s more likely a second or third round pick.
Sources: Scouting Baseball, Prospect Junkies
