Justin Murray - #24
(Manhattan High
School)
Topeka
Stars 2003 |
Topeka
Stars 2004 |
Topeka
Stars 2005 |
Topeka
Stars |
Topeka
Stars |
Topeka
Stars |
Topeka
Stars |
Topeka
Stars |
Kansas
State |
East
Texas Pump Jacks |
East
Texas Pump
Jacks |
Stockton Ports |
Stockton
Ports |
Stockton Ports |
Midland Rock
Hounds - AA |
Arizona Athletics |
Justin just looked like a baseball player, the first time that I
saw him. He had a long athletic body and
great baseball instincts. Justin played
fall and summer baseball for the Stars for three seasons. He is one of a very small group of players
who played as a sophomore. By his senior
season Justin had established himself as an elite baseball player and the
undisputed leader of the team.
It was difficult to determine where to play Justin because he
could play all nine positions. Coach
Frank Magee still thinks he might have made an outstanding catcher. He blocked and moved his feet extremely well
and had a quick and accurate arm, with consistent pop times around 1.9
second. During his senior season, with
the Stars Justin lead the team with a .368 average while playing every infield
position. He also had a 1.39 ERA to lead
the team while pitching against all of the premier teams, in tournaments. Justin went on to Kansas State University and
settled in as a pitcher.
Justin was names to the first team Kansas Association of
Baseball Coaches all-state team in 2005.
In Justin’s junior season with the Kansas State Wildcats, he
went 3-2 with a 4.21 ERA, finishing second on the staff in starts and innings
pitched. Pitching primarily out of the
bullpen in 2007 as a sophomore, he led Kansas State pitchers in appearances.
In the summer of 2007, playing for the McKinney Marshals, Justin
gained widespread attention with a breakout season. He was named the TCL’s Pitcher of the Year
after going 5-2 with an unheard-of 0.54 ERA. In 50 innings pitched, he allowed merely three
earned runs and walked only eight batters while striking out 48. Murray topped
the TCL in ERA, tied for the league lead in wins, and finished fourth in
strikeouts. Following the season, he was
named the league’s #3 prospect by Baseball America.
Justin was the 874th pick in the 2008
MLB June Amateur Draft.