By Ethan Silverman
Missouri Scouting Director

One of the most impressive all around performances of the Super 60 belonged to C/RHP Tanner Murphy from Malden HS. Murphy has been among the top Class of 2013 players for over two years now. After showing his athleticism at the Super 60, Murphy saw his draft stock rise in the eyes of MLB scouts. 

Offensively, Murphy showed his power with long drives that had backspin carry to the power alleys. Consistently he squared up the ball, and hit it hard. His power was evident with a 97-mph exit velocity off the bat, the second hardest recorded at the Super 60. 

Behind the plate, Murphy showed good footwork and quick arm action, with a top pop time of 1.92 and velocity of 82-mph. He also showed a quick release on his snap throw to first base. During bullpen sessions, he showed to be a quality receiver and blocker.

“I feel like I didn’t have the best day with my pop time, other than that I liked how I swung the bat and felt very comfortable in front of everybody watching, a lot better than I did last year,” said Murphy on his performance. 

On the mound, Murphy has short, quick arm action, similar to a Jason Motte. His fastball topped at 91 with some late arm side run. He also showed a 72-75 mph breaking ball and a 75-78 mph split finger fastball with some bite. 

In terms of helping his draft stock, Murphy told us, “Yes, I think it helped my draft stock. I wanted to show my athleticism and I think that helped me to stand out. Physically, I feel like I have the ability to play pro ball out of high school with my arm speed and bat speed.”

“It was great to be around all the top athletes around the Midwest and get to talk to other guys and teach each other small hints on what we know. It makes a difference being around top players, and it pushes you to want to perform better.”

Murphy has received quite a bit of attention from scouts this past summer and fall, and we expect that to continue and evolve into a draft selection come June.