Shorebird's Alex Murphy

Alex Murphy has had a breakout 2015 season leading the SAL in RBIs.

By Doug Newton

It?s the dream of every kid who ever picked up a bat and glove. Playing for the fans, when you used to be one of those cheering from the stands. Hopefully, in a few years, that will be the case for Alex Murphy.

The Shorebirds? catcher hails from Mount Airy, Md. near Frederick, attending plenty of baseball games as a kid.

?I grew up as an Orioles fan, and I went to a bunch of Keys games,? Murphy recalls. ?I lived about 15 minutes from their stadium. That was the thing to do when we were younger.?

Murphy?s father was a season-ticket holder for the Orioles, so trips to Camden Yards were frequent as well.

Murphy went to high school at Calvert Hall in Baltimore, leading his team to back-to-back MIAA titles. At Calvert Hall, Murphy was named the Gatorade Maryland Baseball Player of the Year for 2012-13 after batting .476 with 46 RBIs in his senior season. But that was just the beginning of his connection to Baltimore baseball.

In June of that year, the Baltimore Orioles gave Murphy a phone call on draft day. The O?s had selected him with their sixth round pick of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft.

?I had an idea going in that Baltimore was interested," Murphy said. "I didn't know whether another team might pick me earlier. I can?t really put words to that experience. It was a dream come true.?

Shortly thereafter, Murphy signed his contract with Baltimore, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at Wake Forest University.

?It?s every kid?s dream to play professional baseball. It?s what I wanted to do, and as a family, we decided it was the right path,? Murphy said.

FJ3_1700In the Orioles? organization, Murphy hasn't had to travel far from home. Other than a few stints in Florida in spring training and the Gulf Coast League, Orioles? farmhands don?t have to travel more than a few hours to each affiliate. For a local kid like Murphy, it?s a perfect situation. Murphy has already played for Aberdeen and Delmarva, and Frederick and Bowie are likely in his future.

?My mom works in Baltimore, so they came a lot when I was in Aberdeen,? said Murphy. ?It?s a little further away now, but they?ve still made down here. And my family attended every game when we visited Hagerstown.?

To start the season, Murphy?s production has been otherworldly. Through the first 29 games of the season, Murphy collected 27 RBIs, leading the South Atlantic League and tied for seventh in all of minor league baseball. But you won?t hear him pumping up those stats.

?It?s really the guys in front of me," Murphy said. If they don?t get on base, then I can?t knock them in. It?s a team effort.?

It might not mean much to him, but if he keeps putting up those ridiculous numbers, it might earn his way to Frederick. And this time, he?ll be playing at Harry Grove Stadium instead of watching from the bleachers.

Delmarva Shorebirds | May 14, 2015

Great article. I know Heim gets most of the attention (and he's looked good this year too), but Alex is putting together a nice season so far. He's the same age as Heim as well. I hope he can keep it up, very nice story about a local product.