Photos courtesy of Fordham University
MAPLEWOOD, NJ (updated Wednesday June 14, 2:25 p.m.) – Columbia High School alum Jimmy Murphy was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth round of the Major League Baseball Draft on June 13.
Murphy, a right-handed pitcher from Fordham University, was the No. 248 player selected overall on the second day of the draft.
As a fifth-year senior and team co-captain this spring, Murphy, 22, was named to the First Team All-Atlantic Conference. In 13 starts, the 6-foot, 190-pound hurler posted a 6-7 record with a 2.59 Earned Run Average while tossing a team-high 93.2 innings and tying for the team lead in wins. Murphy also was second on the team in strikeouts (85) and struck out at least six in nine of his 13 starts.
Murphy finished the season by outdueling Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Aaron Phillips, of St. Bonaventure, with a complete game win, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts on May 20.
Murphy finished his career at Fordham ranked seventh in appearances made (71) and 11th in career starts (32).
Murphy is a 2012 CHS graduate.
In his senior year at CHS in 2012, Murphy went 3-1 with 93 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched, allowing 10 runs, six earned, and nine walks.
CHS athletic director Larry Busichio was the head coach of the CHS baseball team when Murphy played for the Cougars. Busichio recalled Murphy always demonstrating a team-first attitude even though the Cougars struggled in his senior year, which also was Busichio’s final season as head coach before taking over the athletic director position.
Indeed, Busichio is ecstatic for Murphy in getting drafted by a Major League team.
“I tell people all the time, outside of Rick Porcello (the former Seton Hall Prep pitcher and reigning American League Cy Young Award winner for the Boston Red Sox), Jimmy Murphy was the best high school pitcher I ever saw,” said Busichio. “He was completely dominant his senior year and one of the best kids I ever coached. Hard worker, mentally as tough as anyone I’ve seen. His senior year, we were not a great team. We had a lot of young guys and I think we only won about 9-10 games. When he pitched, there were times we didn’t score many runs, or may have made an error or two. He never lost his cool with a teammate, never showed anyone up. He would just get back on the mound and pitched. I couldn’t be more excited for a kid who truly deserves this. “
About the Author
