2019 Mets draft profile: Tanner Murphy

Born: St. Augustine, Florida

Age: 20 (5/01/98)

Height/Weight: 6’4”/195 lbs.

Position: CF

Bats/Throws: R/R

School: University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Florida)

Tanner Murphy was a four-year letterman at Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns, Florida, playing football and baseball. As a junior, he appeared in 27 games and hit .333/.389/.390 for the Bears, stealing 15 bases. As a senior, he hit .405 and stole 22 bases. Murphy went undrafted out of high school and honored his commitment to the University of North Florida.

In his first year there, Murphy hit .337/.378/.446, starting in 19 games and appearing in 34. His batting average was third highest on the team. He became a starter in his sophomore year, and was able to replicate those numbers while getting into more games. In 2018, he hit .326/.418/.534 in 56 starts, hitting 10 home runs and stealing 15 bases. He led the team in multiple offensive categories, and led the entire NCAA Atlantic Sun Conference in slugging percentage. He was unable to keep up that level of production with the bat, hitting .288/.368/.447 in 57 games this past season for the Osprey, though he did tie a University of North Florida record with a perfect fielding percentage, fielding all 154 chances he had in center over the course of the season.

At 6’4”, 195-pounds, Murphy has a lean, athletic frame. He is fairly quiet at the plate, with a slight leg lift and not much of a stride. His swing is balanced, with level, line-drive power. He generally is able to make hard contact when he barrels the ball and uses the entire field. He has above-average, borderline plus speed and is a good runner as a result, stealing and taking extra bases.

In the outfield, he moves well, putting that speed to good use. His arm is strong for centerfield, and his throws are accurate.