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Owen Murphy, a first-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in the 2022 draft, made his major league debut in 2026, appearing in five games and pitching 12 innings. His call-up came earlier than anticipated due to injuries in the rotation, and the results were a mix of encouraging signs and clear areas for growth.
According to a recent evaluation by Battery Power, Murphy demonstrated impressive control by throwing strikes and limiting walks. He recorded a 34.7% chase rate, indicating that big-league hitters frequently swung at pitches outside the zone. His walk rate stood at 5.4%, a solid figure for a young pitcher. However, the contact he allowed was often hard, with a 48.8% hard-hit rate and an expected ERA of 7.49, resulting in an fWAR of -0.3. His actual ERA was 6.00, suggesting that his underlying performance was even worse than the surface numbers.
Control vs. Command
The distinction between control and command is central to Murphy's development. Control refers to throwing strikes, which Murphy has shown he can do—he issued only three walks in 12 innings. Command, however, is about locating pitches precisely, and too many of his offerings ended up in hittable spots. His secondary pitches were particularly vulnerable, and he surrendered four home runs over his final three appearances. While the sample size is small, these details highlight the adjustments needed.
Murphy began the 2026 season at Double-A Columbus before moving up to Triple-A Gwinnett in late April, where he pitched well for most of the year, holding opposing hitters to a .198 average. The Braves could option him back to the minors to refine his command, sequencing, and execution of secondary pitches. Alternatively, a bullpen role might allow him to focus on his best pitches if his command doesn't improve enough to handle multiple trips through a lineup. Atlanta has not announced a permanent role change, and his debut occurred back in July.
There is precedent for turning early struggles into growth. JR Ritchie, another 2022 first-round pick (35th overall, while Murphy went 20th), debuted on April 23 against the Washington Nationals and gave up a home run to James Wood on his first pitch. Ritchie settled down, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts. Through September 22, Ritchie had a 4.79 ERA and 66 strikeouts—not dominant, but a longer look than Murphy received. Their divergent paths from the same draft class underscore that development is rarely linear.
For Murphy, the goal in 2027 is straightforward: maintain his strike-throwing and chase rate while reducing pitches over the heart of the plate. The ability to miss bats appears to be there; the question is whether he can locate well enough to succeed at the highest level. That is the challenge he must solve before the Braves can rely on him as a consistent contributor.
Originally reported by headtopics.