A’s weren’t going to pass on Oklahoma QB Murray at No. 9
The A’s went with a quarterback as their first-round pick in the draft. No, you did not read that wrong.
Kyler Murray was the A’s selection with the ninth overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft, the same Murray who was the backup to star quarterback and 2017 Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield at University of Oklahoma last season.
“I’m just grateful to be drafted by the Oakland A’s,” Murray said during a conference call. “Right now I’m not really focusing on the football/baseball situation.
Kind of just soaking it all in.”
Murray, 20, played in seven games for the Sooners in 2017, completing 18 of 21 passes for 359 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He is expected to enter the upcoming football season as the front-runner to take over as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma, with Mayfield even telling Bleacher Report in a recent interview, “He’s going to break all my records. He’s that good.”
But the 5-foot-11, 195 pounder might be better suited for baseball, a sport he’s also talented in. The outfielder slashed .296/.398/.556 with 10 home runs, 13 doubles, 3 triples, 47 RBIs and 46 runs scored in 51 games with Oklahoma this past season.
Murray also spent Summer 2017 playing in the Cape Cod League, where the top college players in the country assemble for a twomonth season, and hit .261 with 10 home runs, 13 doubles, 3 triples, 53 RBIs and 62 runs scored in 47 at-bats.
“Going up to the Cape last summer helped me out a lot,” Murray said. “Just from seeing guys that are good at the game and what they do on a day in and day out basis and learning the ins and outs of baseball. I got a lot of confidence from seeing those guys who are the best of the best in college.”
When trying to describe his skillset as a baseball player, Murray said he’s a “confident” player, who can “do anything on the field” when given the right amount of time and reps.
One Major Leaguer Murray has been compared to is Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr, an athletic, premier outfielder with double-digit power numbers.
“The first thing that jumps out at you is his athleticism,” A’s Director of Scouting Eric Kubota said. “We just don’t see athletes like this on the baseball field very often. He’s a very instinctive baseball player, which is especially impressive considering how little he played in high school. We think he’s got a chance to be dominant from both an offensive and defensive standpoint.”
This won’t be a Bo Jackson situation. The A’s will allow Murray to play football this upcoming season at Oklahoma, where he could potentially take over for a Heisman Trophy winner at one of the top college football programs in the country, and then focus on baseball after. Taking him this high in the draft, the A’s have to be confident they can actually get him to sign. The assigned slot value of the ninth pick is $4.7 million.
“We just felt Kyler was a unique talent. It’s something you come across rarely in what we do,” Kubota said. “The risk of the football was in our opinion outweighed by the upside on the baseball field.”
Murray’s father, Kevin, played quarterback at Texas A&M from 1983-86. His uncle, Calvin, was a 1992 first round selection by the Giants and spent five years in the big leagues.