Diamondbacks pick Hayden Murphy in 15th round of MLB Draft

Published 7:00 pm Monday, July 14, 2025

CHULA — Tiftarea Academy might be taking over professional baseball. Hayden Murphy, who helped lead the Panthers to second in GISA Class 3A in 2021, was drafted Monday in the 15th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Murphy is being drafted out of Auburn University, where he’s played three seasons. He had committed to the Tigers early in high school and officially signed with the school ahead of his senior season.

“I think this was the perfect scenario for him,” said Tiftarea athletic director and head baseball coach Chance Benson. If Murphy signs with the D’backs, Benson is sure he will get great development from their coaches.

He pitched in nine games this year for Auburn and recorded eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. In three years of college ball, Murphy has won two games and struck out 36 in 41.3 innings pitched.

Cracking Auburn’s lineup has been exceptionally tough. The Tigers posted a 41-20 record this season and hosted an NCAA Super Regional. Seven Auburn players were selected over the draft’s 20 rounds.

Though Murphy terrorized opposing pitching in high school, he has not picked up a bat to hit in a college game.

Murphy is the second ever Tiftarea Academy player to be selected. Cade Marlowe was a 20th round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2019. Marlowe, currently playing in AAA Tacoma, has been up with the Mariners’ big league roster for two stints.

“Pretty good for a li’l ol’ school in Chula,” Benson said.

Murphy was a rare five-year starter with the Panthers. Obviously a special player from the start, Benson said, “Ninth grade is when it clicked for him.”

That was a season he hit .342, hit his first varsity homer, and led the team in strikeouts.

Years before he graduated, Benson said opposing coaches were asking if Murphy was a senior. They were tired of him lighting up their teams.

“He dominated for us for so long,” Benson said.

As a junior, Murphy helped lead Tiftarea to the GISA Class 3A finals. They fell a game short there to Pinewood Christian. The Panthers fell in the semifinals his senior season.

Scouts made the drive to Chula for several of his senior year games, but he was not picked by any MLB teams in 2022.

Murphy posted a .541 average his senior season with 10 homers, 34 runs scored and 37 RBIs. On the mound, he fanned 120 in 60 1/3 innings and had a 1.62 ERA.

His junior year numbers were an average of .436 as he scored 43 runs and homered four times. Pitching-wise, Murphy had a 1.37 ERA and 99 strikeouts.