Born in the Bahamas, Murray is part of a baseball family that includes brothers who played in the Giants system (Byron) and in independent ball (Brandon). He played his high school ball in Florida and in college at Florida Atlantic before the Cubs drafted him in the 15th round in 2021. He established himself as one of the system's better bats before struggling in Triple-A in 2024 and spending the next season in Double-A, but he has bounced back with a strong Triple-A performance this year.
The switch-hitting Murray has a smoother stroke as a lefty but has been more effective as a righty the past two seasons. He offers one of the best combinations of plate discipline and pop among Chicago farmhands, and he's back to controlling the strike zone and driving balls in the air after losing his way in 2024. A member of Great Britain's last two World Baseball Classic squads, he's equipped to hit for average with 15-20 homer power and plenty of walks.
Murray plays quicker than his fringy speed on the bases and has the savvy to steal 10-15 bags per year at a good success rate. He has spent most of his pro career at third base, but his range and arm strength leave a little to be desired at the hot corner. He gets the job done at first base and the Cubs have tried to enhance his versatility by trying him in left field this year.
Born in the Bahamas, Murray played high school and college ball in Florida, the latter at Florida Atlantic. Part of a baseball family that includes brothers who played in the Giants system (Byron) and independent ball (Brandon), B.J. turned pro as a 15th-rounder in 2021. He was a major part of championship teams at High-A South Bend in 2022 and Double-A Tennessee in 2023, providing the decisive home run in the Southern League clincher last September.
Murray's combination of plate discipline and power ranks among the best in the system, and he led all Cubs farmhands in on-base percentage (.410) in his first full pro season and in walks (82) in his second. A switch-hitter, he has a smoother swing as a lefty but is proficient from both sides and makes a lot of hard contact. After putting the ball on the ground too much in 2022, he did a better job of driving the ball in the air and tapping into his power last year, when he ranked third in the Southern League with 54 extra-base hits.
Though Murray has below-average speed out of the batter's box, he's an average runner once he gets going and stole 14 bases in 17 attempts last season. After spending most of his first full pro season at first base, he returned to his college position of third in 2023. He has a chance to be an average defender with similar arm strength at the hot corner if he continues to improve.
A native of the Bahamas, Murray comes from a baseball family that includes brothers who played in the Giants system (Byron) and independent ball (Brandon). Drafted in the 15th round out of Florida Atlantic in 2021, BJ led Cubs farmhands with a .410 on-base percentage in his first full pro season in 2022. He's doing a better job of tapping into his power in Double-A this season.
A switch-hitter, Murray offers one of the best combinations of plate discipline and power potential in the system. He's a better hitter from the left side but gets to his pop more easily from the right side. After producing solid exit velocities but too much ground-ball contact last season, he's driving the ball in the air much more regularly in 2023.
Murray has below-average speed but enough savvy to steal an occasional base. He spent more time at first base in 2022, has seen more action at his college position of third this year and committed four errors in two games at second in April. He's an adequate defender with an average arm at the hot corner, though he'll need to improve to play there regularly in the big leagues.
These run values are leveraged, meaning the base/out situation at the time of the event does impact the run value (thus introducing context outside the batter's own contribution).
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift: three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about how positioning is defined here
