Sean Murphy (baseball)

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Sean Murphy

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|team = Atlanta Braves

|number = 12

|position = Catcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|10|4}}

|birth_place = Peekskill, New York, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = September 4

|debutyear = 2019

|debutteam = Oakland Athletics

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = April 25, 2025

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .233

|stat2label = Hits

|stat2value = 407

|stat3label = Home runs

|stat3value = 83

|stat4label = Runs batted in

|stat4value = 252

|teams =

Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|2019}}–{{mlby|2022}})
Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|2023}}–present)

|awards =

All-Star (2023)
Gold Glove Award (2021)

}}

Sean Michael Murphy (born October 4, 1994) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the third round of the 2016 MLB draft. Murphy made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Athletics and won a Gold Glove Award in 2021. In 2023, his first year with Atlanta, he made his first All-Star Game.

Amateur career

Murphy attended Centerville High School in Centerville, Ohio, and Wright State University, where he played college baseball for the Wright State Raiders. In 2015, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.{{Cite web |title=#31 Sean Murphy |url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=733898&seasonid=29031 |access-date=September 25, 2019 |publisher=pointstreak.com}}

Professional career

=Oakland Athletics=

The Oakland Athletics selected Murphy in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Doug |date=June 10, 2016 |title=Wright State's Murphy picked in third round of MLB Draft |url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/wright-state-murphy-picked-third-round-mlb-draft/jNOIWQXCnfF5c2lRZrWoxL/ |access-date=December 14, 2018 |website=Dayton Daily News}} He made his professional debut with the Arizona League Athletics, playing one game with them, before being promoted to the Vermont Lake Monsters.{{Cite web |title=Top MLB Prospects, Scouting Reports, Analysis |url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/excited-sean-murphys-growth/#VIm056U2EIVt4QEs.97 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |publisher=Baseballamerica.com}} He batted .237 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 22 games with Vermont. He started 2017 with the Stockton Ports and was promoted to the Midland RockHounds in June;{{Cite web |last=Bob Highfill |title=Catch a rising star: Murphy has 'elite' defensive skills |url=http://www.recordnet.com/sports/20170407/catch-rising-star-murphy-has-elite-defensive-skills |access-date=March 23, 2018 |publisher=recordnet.com}}{{Cite web |last=Korn |first=Will |date=June 29, 2017 |title=RockHounds: Murphy grows into catching prospect |url=http://www.mrt.com/sports/rockhounds/article/ROCKHOUNDS-Murphy-grows-into-catching-prospect-11257622.php |access-date=March 23, 2018 |publisher=Mrt.com}} he batted a combined .250 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 98 games between the two teams.{{Cite web |title=Sean Murphy Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=669221#/career/R/hitting/2017/ALL |access-date=December 20, 2017}} In 2018, he spent the majority of the year with Midland, slashing .288/.358/.498 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs in 68 games.{{Cite web |title=Sean Murphy Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=669221#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL |access-date=October 20, 2018 |publisher=MiLB.com}} He also played in three games for the Nashville Sounds at the end of the year. He began 2019 with the Las Vegas Aviators{{Cite web |date=March 24, 2019 |title=At the Ballpark: Cactus League Prospects |url=https://www.prospects1500.com/at-the-ballpark/at-the-ballpark-cactus-league-prospects/}} where he hit the first home run in Las Vegas Ballpark history.{{Cite web |last=Aviators |first=Las Vegas |date=April 11, 2019 |title=Sean Murphy with the First Aviator Homerun in LV Ballpark History Let it fly! Murphy secures a 3 run homer in the bottom of the 8th bringing the score to – 11 , – 2pic.twitter.com/14wEnl2J1m |url=https://twitter.com/AviatorsLV/status/1116570267998834697 |access-date=April 12, 2019 |website=@AviatorsLV}}

File:Sean Murphy (33550606460) (cropped).jpg

On September 1, 2019, the Athletics selected Murphy's contract and promoted him to the major leagues.{{Cite web |last=Matt Kelly |date=August 31, 2019 |title=Oakland to call up No. 3 prospect Murphy |url=https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/sean-murphy-to-be-called-up-by-athletics |access-date=August 31, 2019 |website=MLB.com}} On September 4, in his MLB debut, Murphy hit his first career home run for his first hit against Jake Jewell.{{Cite web |last=Ben Ross |date=September 4, 2019 |title=A's top prospect Sean Murphy puts on show in MLB debut, win vs. Angels |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/athletics/top-prospect-sean-murphy-puts-show-mlb-debut-win-vs-angels |access-date=September 5, 2019 |publisher=NBC Sports Bay Area}} In 2020, Murphy played the majority of the season as the A's catcher, playing in 43 games. He hit .233 with 7 home runs and 14 RBI.

Murphy was awarded the Gold Glove Award on November 7, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Gallegos |first=Martin |date=November 7, 2021 |title=A's have another Gold Glove pair |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/matt-chapman-sean-murphy-win-2021-gold-glove-awards |access-date=November 23, 2021 |website=MLB.com}}

=Atlanta Braves=

On December 12, 2022, the Athletics traded Murphy to the Atlanta Braves in a three-team trade, in which the Athletics acquired pitchers Kyle Muller and Freddy Tarnok, along with catcher Manny Piña and minor league pitcher Royber Salinas from the Braves and utility player Esteury Ruiz from the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers also acquired William Contreras and Justin Yeager from the Braves.{{Cite news |last=Passan |first=Jeff |date=December 12, 2022 |title=Braves acquire star catcher Sean Murphy from Athletics |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/35240015/braves-acquire-star-catcher-murphy-athletics-sources-say |access-date=December 13, 2022 |work=ESPN.com}}{{Cite news |last=Toscano |first=Justin |date=December 12, 2022 |title=Braves acquire Oakland catcher Sean Murphy in three-team trade |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-acquire-oakland-catcher-sean-murphy-per-report/IXUGCRLOGZCHBBPHRODYY7JBTQ/ |access-date=December 13, 2022 |work=Atlanta Journal Constitution}} Murphy and the Braves signed a six-year contract extension worth $73 million and a club option for the 2029 season.{{Cite news |last=Toscano |first=Justin |date=December 27, 2022 |title=Braves sign new catcher Sean Murphy to six-year contract |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-sign-new-catcher-sean-murphy-to-six-year-contract/2I3WJ6MXCZDGZIDQ6LFILH5UXQ/ |access-date=December 28, 2022 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}{{Cite news |last=Bowman |first=Mark |date=December 27, 2022 |title=Newly acquired Murphy lands 6-year extension from Braves |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/sean-murphy-contract-extension-braves |access-date=December 28, 2022 |work=MLB.com}} Murphy was named as an all-star for the first time as a starting catcher for the National League in the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.{{Cite news |last=Crosby |first=Lindsay |date=2023-06-29 |title=The Atlanta Braves have 3 starters for the 2023 All-Star Game |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/braves/news/the-atlanta-braves-have-3-starters-for-the-2023-all-star-game |access-date=2024-03-19 |work=Sports Illustrated |language=en}} Murphy finished the 2023 season batting .251/.365/.478 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs, both of which were career-highs.

On March 30, 2024, during the first game of the 2024 season, Murphy suffered a left oblique strain after swinging at a pitch and was subsequently placed on the 10-day injured list.{{cite web | last=Bowman | first=Mark | title=Sean Murphy left oblique injury | website=MLB.com | date=2024-03-30 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/sean-murphy-left-oblique-injury | access-date=2025-04-09}}