Braves’ best prospect appears as potential rising star

admin | April 20, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

The Braves farm system hasn’t been well-regarded in recent years due to transactions and graduations, but it hasn’t stopped them from generating new stars.

This season, everyone expects AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep to make a difference, with numerous other talents also getting a chance.

However, the issue does not arise from the farm system’s upper tier. If the Braves want to avoid having to rebuild in the future, they must restock the lower levels. There aren’t many names that have popped out, but Owen Murphy is starting to make his mark.

Murphy allowed just one run in his first two starts with High-A Rome, striking out 16 in 12 innings. On Friday night, the 2022 first-round pick took the mound for the third time this season, and he had one of his best performances yet. Murphy did allow a couple of runs on a home run, but he only gave up two hits in five innings while striking out 11. He now has 27 strikeouts this season, tied with Paul Skenes for the minor-league lead.

*ALERT* For real this time.

Owen Murphy ties Paul Skenes for the MiLB lead in strikeouts with 27.

— Aaron Huston (@aahuston) April 20, 2024

Murphy, who is still just 20 years old, is striking out over 40% of the batters he’s faced with a 1.59 ERA and 1.96 FIP in 17 innings.

It’s early, but those figures are impossible to dispute with. Murphy has certainly advanced in his development and is now a talent that every Braves fan should keep an eye on going forward. We’ve seen how swiftly the Braves have moved their talented prospects up the system in the past. It could not be long before Owen Murphy finds himself in AA Mississippi, where the competition heats up and we’ll see how much ahead of the curve he is.