The injury bug has ravaged the Braves to this point in the season. Most notably, Ronald Acuña Jr.and Spencer Strider — arguably the Braves best two players — are out for the year. Sean Murphy has missed most of the season. Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies have each missed multiple weeks, and AJ Smith-Shawver was just added to the IL with an oblique strain. It’s almost inconceivable to have that many All-Stars go down with significant injuries in the first couple of months, and now the injury bug has made its way to the minor league ranks.
Per multiple sources, Owen Murphy, who is amid a breakout campaign on the farm, has had Tommy John surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
#Braves pitching prospect Owen Murphy will have Tommy John surgery, ending what had been a terrific early season for the 20-year-old. He had a 1.54 ERA in 7 starts at High-A Rome w/ 60 Ks & 12 walks in 41 innings. Murphy was a 1st-round pick in 2022 out of an Illinois high school
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) May 29, 2024
Owen Murphy may be the Braves’ #5 ranked prospect via MLB Pipeline, but I would argue he’s #4 and has a case to be even higher after a scorching hot start to the 2024 campaign.
He had been unhittable in High-A Rome, posting a 1.54 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 41.0 innings. He very well could have been on his way to Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors and was likely in line for a promotion.
Something began to smell fishy when Owen Murphy missed his last start, and now we know why. It’s a disappointing end to a season that had so much promise, but it’s far from the end of the world. These days, Tommy John surgery has become so commonplace for young pitchers, and at just 20-years-old, Murphy has a lot of time to work his way back. He remains one of the brightest prospects in the Braves system, one that could make a huge impact at the major-league level down the road.
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Photographer: Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire
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