2023 Chicago Cubs Top 30 Prospect Wraps: B.J. Murray Jr.
InsidetheCubs.com will review each of the Chicago Cubs’ Top 30 prospects, as ranked by MLB.com at the end of the 2023 season.
No. 18: 3B/1B B.J. Murray Jr., Tennessee Smokies (Double-A)
Statistics for 2023: (124 games, all with Tennessee) .273/.391/.451/.842, 71 runs, 34 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs, 74 RBI, 82 walks, 129 strikeouts, 14 stolen bases.
Season Transactions: Assigned to Tennessee to start the season. Played with the National League Futures Team at the All-Star Game. Was on the temporarily inactive list from July 7-14 to accommodate that trip.
Season Summary: It would be fair to say that Murray put together his best season as a professional. While his batting average dropped just a bit, he traded that in for career highs in runs, doubles, triples, home runs and RBI. While he struck out 129 times, he also drew 82 walks. He also set a career high in stolen bases with 14. This was clearly the progress the Cubs were hoping for entering the season, and the progress was so good it earned him a spot in the Futures Game during All Star weekend in Seattle.
Path Through the Organization: Byron’s brothers have played pro ball, but he might outdo them both. The Nassau, Bahamas, native came stateside to play college baseball at Florida Atlantic and the Cubs liked him enough to take him in the 15th round in 2021. His bat has responded in pro ball, as his .410 on-base percentage was best among Cubs minor-league players in 2022. Aside from the plate discipline, one of his best assets is his ability to switch hit.
What’s next: He now appears to be a switch hitter with power and plate discipline, which makes him a candidate to be promoted to Triple-A Iowa at some point in 2024. He's a corner infielder, and if you look at the Cubs’ Major League roster there appears to be some space for him to move to that level in the next couple of years. Some of that may be influenced by what the Cubs do with Cody Bellinger, who can play outfield and first base. But, going into 2024, Murray looks like a prospect on the rise and someone that could join the Cubs potentially in 2025.
2023 Chicago Cubs Top 30 Prospect Wraps:
No. 30: Christian Franklin | No. 29: Brody McCullough | No. 28: Kohl Franklin | No. 27: Pablo Aliendo | No. 26: Porter Hodge | No. 25: Luke Little | No. 24: Jaxon Wiggins | No. 23: Caleb Kilian | No. 22: Josh Rivera | No. 21: Luis Vazquez | No. 20: Cristian Hernandez | No. 19: Brennen Davis |
