The sixth annual USA Baseball MLB Draft Combine is officially underway with the next generation of MLB stars putting their skills on full display at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, from June 23-26 in a variety of on-field workouts such as batting practice, defensive work, and strength and conditioning.
Among the plethora of talent and USA Baseball alumni in attendance is Corona High School standout and Louisiana State University commit, Anthony Murphy.
Murphy, a Corona, California, native and USA Baseball 18U National Team alum, knows the Combine is a special opportunity to show MLB organizations what he’s made of ahead of July’s MLB draft.
“I’ve been really excited leading up to these couple days. I've been excited, not really necessarily nervous. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. I’m trying to live in the moment, enjoy it, and go and show my skills to everybody,” said Murphy.
Across the various skills that will be tested and measured out, Murphy has had plenty of experience under his belt through USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline.
The Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) is a collaborative effort between MLB and USA Baseball to establish a player development pipeline leading to the MLB Draft for amateur baseball players in the United States.
At the heart of the Prospect Development Pipeline is the PDP Performance Assessment, a series of comprehensive evaluations that utilize state-of-the-art technology to measure cognitive skills, speed of processing, athletic performance, and on-field talent.
Murphy earned an invite to 15U National Team Training Camp after a standout performance at Champs Arizona in 2022 and was later invited to the 2024 16U/17U National Team Development Program in Cary, North Carolina.
“I know the PDP formula really well. I've been around it for a while. I've done the testing and the events, so I feel like just doing all that stuff helps me in moments like these,” said Murphy.
He continued to credit the PDP program in terms of his overall development, “I really see the areas where I can do better and want to aim for more while continuing to work towards a higher goal, and just elevate my game to the highest level I can.”
Murphy’s achievements within PDP testing speak for themselves. Having initially recorded a 4.26-second 30-yard sprint at 14U Champs North Carolina in 2021, Murphy‘s PDP work shaved his time down all the way to 3.80 seconds in 2024 at the 16U/17U NTDP.
In terms of his counter movement jump peak power output, Murphy’s numbers jumped off the charts. His initial debut resulted in a production of 3781 watts at the 2021 NTIS. The prolonged development within PDP saw his peak power explode to an eye-popping 5597 watts at the 2024 Dream Series.
“Every coach that I've had throughout PDP have all played a part into my success and my story. Everyone has taught me something. They all have something to say, something to teach, and they all have different areas and backgrounds that they've come from,” said Murphy.
“There’s so many different sides of baseball, and I’ve really appreciated everything, because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to have coaches like that at your side.”
The hard-work across 10 different PDP events has primed Murphy for success on the biggest stage, which included an opportunity to wear the stars and stripes in 2025 with the 18U National Team.
“I miss that team and experience every day. Being in that experience and playing with a bunch of high-level players and coaches – who teach me a lot of stuff on the field – but off the field especially. Those trips, having fun with the boys, playing the game we love, doing our thing, and backing each other – that's the experience I love,” said Murphy.
“Everything with USA Baseball is a lot of fun and a true blessing. It’s also something I’ll always keep working towards. I'm thankful to every coach in my life who helped me proudly play on that team.”
The journey through PDP and representing a national team have been milestone moments in what will be a long career ahead for Murphy, with his next defining moments at the Combine having already been shaped through years of sacrifice, dedication and hard work above all.
“I feel like I haven't shown everybody what I'm able to do. There's a lot of eyes this week and I just have to go out there and be myself. I know I have the skills and talent, I just have to show everybody else what I know,” Murphy closed with.
The MLB Draft will take place from July 11-13 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with MLB Network and ESPN providing live coverage throughout the weekend.
