Owen Murphy was somewhat of a surprising first-round pick for the Braves this season, but he proved worthy of that selection and was the centerpiece to a strong draft class.
Preseason Report Card
Murphy was selected by the Braves with the 20th overall pick of the 2022 MLB amateur draft, becoming the Braves’ first prep player taken in the first round since Carter Stewart in 2018. Murphy was seen as more of a second-round talent, but had gotten first-round buzz in the weeks leading into the draft, and the Braves saw him as a player that would not fall down the board to their compensation round pick.