Owen Murphy continues remarkable dominance on the farm

Making his way back from Tommy John surgery, Owen Murphy hasn’t missed a beat.

In his first start since last May, the 21-year-old right-hander tossed three perfect innings with five strikeouts in Rookie Ball. Murphy was then sent to High-A Rome for his next start, a level that he dominated last season, boasting a 4-2 record with a 1.54 ERA and 13.2 K/9 over seven starts before Tommy John surgery shut him down.

Those are some pretty eye-popping numbers, yet somehow, Murphy was able to top those in his first appearance for the Emperors this season. In just 3.1 innings, he managed to strikeout eight batters, allowing a couple of hits and no runs.

The 20th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Owen Murphy doesn’t have the flashy high-90s fastball that a lot of guys do these days, especially ones that have had success in Atlanta recently. However, his ability to miss bats has been unmatched early on in his minor-league career.

It remains to be seen how aggressively the Braves will move Murphy up the ladder coming off his injury, but if early returns are any indication, High-A Rome won’t challenge him for long. A promotion to Double-A Columbus could be on the horizon, and 2026 will be a pivotal season as Murphy looks to join a deep crop of young arms pushing for an opportunity in Atlanta.