Article: Get to Know: OF Max Murphy

[Seth Stohs]

We have read so much about Nick Gordon, Nick Burdi and Jake Reed, but there is another Twins pick from 2014 who put together a very impressive professional debut. In fact, Max Murphy’s professional debut resulted in a league’s Most Valuable Player award. I had a chance to catch up with the talented outfielder at Twins Fest.In early March, Minnesota native Max Murphy will make the trip from Minneapolis to Ft. Myers for his first spring training. Murphy has never been to Twins spring training, even as a fan. With his local ties, he was invited to participate and sign autographs at Twins Fest this weekend. It marked the first time that he had been to the fantastic, fan-friendly event.

 

Murphy graduated from Robbinsdale Cooper High School in 2011. The school is located in New Hope, a suburb northwest of Minneapolis. In fact, the school is located just over 10 miles from Target Field. After a strong high school baseball career, he was not drafted. Murphy chose to attend Bradley University. Bradley is a private university in Peoria, Illinois. Some Twins fans may recall that Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett began his unlikely climb by spending a year at Bradley.

 

Murphy did have some options out of high school but was very happy with his decision to go to Bradley. “I could have gone to some of the D-1’s in the Midwest. I went on a visit to Bradley and I just really liked it. It was smaller, and that’s what I wanted. I’m happy with my choice.”

 

He also had the opportunity to play right away. And he put up big numbers. In his three seasons at Bradley, he hit .293/.383/.518 with 27 home runs. His work led to being drafted in the ninth round in the 2014 draft. It was about where he thought and was hearing that he would be drafted. It was more surprising that it was the Twins who drafted him. Like most potential draft picks, Murphy was at his home, watching the draft take place online.

 

“I thought somewhere in the top 10, so about there.” He continued, “I did talk to them, but it was a surprise. I was talking to some other teams more. I thought I was going to go to a different team. But it was a good surprise.”

 

He signed quickly for a reported $130,000 and quickly made a name for himself in the organization with a very strong start to his career in Elizabethton. Often, there is an assumption that hitters struggle to adjust to using a wood bat since aluminum or composite bats are used in high school and college. For Murphy, he didn’t feel it was a big adjustment.

 

He said, “I always hated the metal bat.”

 

He played in wood-bat leagues during his summers in college. He spent time with the Rochester Honkers in the Northwoods League. He was also the MVP of the Great Lakes League one summer.

 

If there was an adjustment, Murphy was able to make the change very quickly. Of professional baseball, Murphy noted, “I think it was just baseball how I always wanted it to be. It wasn’t different than college. You just go out and play. In college, it was a little different than that. I was just feeling good.”

 

He felt good, to the tune of a .378/.483/.723 (1.206) in 35 games for the E-Twins. He added seven doubles, two triples, ten home runs and 26 RBI.

 

“It is a lot about not having to go to school. Summer ball is always something I’ve been good at just because I can just focus on baseball. It’s just a different atmosphere, and you’re playing every day which I think it a lot better. When you’re hot, you’re hot. In college, it’s every weekend and one game during the week.”

 

He was promoted to Cedar Rapids, which is very unusual for hitters sent initially to the Appalachian League. He struggled a little more in his 32 games in the Midwest League. He posted a line of .242/.314/.395 (.709), but he did hit seven doubles and four home runs.

 

“There was a little bit (of an adjustment to the Midwest League). It wasn’t that much different as far as velocity and stuff, but I think pitchers knew how to pitch a lot better. You have a lot of guys in rookie ball that aren’t throwing good offspeed stuff. I think it was just adjusting to that environment. It was so much different than Elizabethton.”

 

Defensively, he has the ability to play all three outfield positions. He played left field in Elizabethton. At Cedar Rapids, he replaced centerfielder Jason Kanzler (who was promoted to Ft. Myers). He isn’t considered a speedster, but he can cover some ground in centerfield.

 

Despite spending only half of the season in Elizabethton before his promotion to Cedar Rapids, Murphy was named the MVP of the Appalachian League for his tremendous offensive performance.

 

He said his first offseason as a professional baseball player has been “awesome.” Of the workouts and preparation, he said, “It’s basically just go, and you know what to do. You just get it done.”

 

In early March, he will head down to Ft. Myers where he will participate in his first spring training. He is eagerly anticipating the start of a new season and where it will take him.

 

“(I’m) excited to get there. I’ve never really had a preseason where you get to go and play games to get ready for the actual season. I think a lot of times early in the season, I’ve just not felt like I’m ready to play especially being in the Midwest. You hit in the cage and you just go right out and play. I think it will be good to get a nice three weeks of playing before we get to play real games.”

 

Usually when asking players about the weather at Twins Fest in Minnesota, you get some great responses, especially from players from southern areas. For Murphy, and most of the Minnesotans in attendance at Twins Fest this year, the 40 degree temperatures were a pleasant and unexpected surprise.

 

Murphy was a ninth-round pick in 2014. As you recall, 2013 ninth-round pick Mitch Garver was my choice for 2014 Twins minor league hitter of the year. Murphy has all of the tools. He can hit. He should hit for power. He has good speed. He can play defense. He has a strong arm. He has good strike zone judgment. Now a professional, he will have the opportunity to work full-time on those tools. He could be a sleeper and work his way up the system quickly.

 

Murphy looks forward to hopefully surprising people again as he begins his first full season in the Twins organization. He turned 22 in November and should start his season where he ended the 2014 season, in Cedar Rapids. But a strong start and he should earn a midseason promotion to the Ft. Myers Miracle.

 

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[Jeremy Nygaard]

Scouts for other organizations that got a look at him in E-town admitted that a lot of teams missed on him and he should have been a Top 5 round pick. Of course, he was killing it during that stint.

[tobi0040]

Nice to hear.  A guy that can play all three OF spots and hit is valuable.

[nater79a]

Any particular reason Max dropped to the 9th round? Sounds like he is at least average to plus in all five tools. Maybe he didn't always flash them consistently enough at Bradley.

[Seth Stohs]

I think that's pretty accurate. As much as he has all the tools, the performance hasn't always been consistent and met the tools that he has... That said, he's 22 and has 1/2 season of pro ball under his belt. There's plenty of time for things to come together for him. 

[Dman]

i remember looking at BA's scouting report and not being too impressed except that it said he had power potential.  He made me a believer after his hot start and even though he cooled down I think he is going to move up quickly.  Looks like the Twins might have gotten a steal with Mad Max.  Next year will be big.  I'll be watching and hoping he has another big year.

[tmobeck1]

He was a really fun player to watch in Cedar Rapids. Incredible bat speed.

[Seth Stohs]

He was a really fun player to watch in Cedar Rapids. Incredible bat speed.

 

Really looking foward to seeing him play in spring training this year. Should start the season back in Cedar Rapids, but possible promotion to Ft. Myers mid-year.