OAKLAND -- For three years, Sean Murphy has been considered the A's catcher of the future. It appears the future is now.
Oakland manager Bob Melvin revealed that Murphy will make his major-league debut in one of the next two games against the Angels.
"That's why he's here," Melvin said. "He's here for a reason. He's not just going to sit around. He will get his share of starts."
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Murphy, 24, is ranked as the A's third-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, behind only pitchers Jesús Luzardo and A.J. Puk. While he appreciates the recognition, Murphy knows it means nothing if he doesn't keep working hard to achieve success on the field.
"The labels don't mean a whole lot," he said. "If I go out there and don't perform, obviously I'm not the catcher of the future anymore. People can write what they want, but at the end of the day, it comes down to how we play out here and the product that we put on the field."
Murphy certainly put a quality product on the field this season in Triple-A. In 31 games, he slashed .308/.386/.625 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI, a major improvement from the year before, especially in terms of power-hitting.
"(I've improved) everything," Murphy said. "As far as my hitting, hitting for some more power, trying to improve my walks and plate discipline. Footwork behind the plate is always important, and of course, pitch-calling and getting on the same page with your pitchers is our number one job."
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Murphy did have to miss some time with a knee injury this year but says he feels 100 percent. Now he's ready to see what he can do at the big-league level.
"It's a dream come true," Murphy said. "If (they) need me, I'll be ready. Whatever it is, I'm just happy to be here."