It's getting hard to find words for Shane Murphy's magical 2025 season in the minor leagues.
The 24-year-old Chicago White Sox pitching prospect was an afterthought before this season, and he's now one of the most exciting young talents in the organization and knocking on the door of a Major League debut. I suppose that's what happens when you flirt with history in the minor leagues.
Murphy was named Southern League Pitcher of the Month for June, and he's continued his dominance in July, allowing three runs over 20 innings of work in his last three starts.
That's a 1.35 ERA and a 13:4 strikeout to walk ratio in July.
Murphy completed five scoreless innings and earned another win against the Montgomery Biscuits on Wednesday. He's now in contention to make Southern League history.
Shane Murphy could make history
With a 1.45 ERA in 80.2 innings since being promoted to Double-A, Murphy is in the running to win the Southern League Pitcher of the Year Award. He also may post the best ERA ever by a starting pitcher that wins the award.
White Sox prospect Noah Schultz won the award, which is voted on by the managers, in 2024. Schultz had a 1.48 ERA in 61 innings pitched, but he is being outpaced by Murphy in both innings and Earned Run Average in 2025.
The only starting pitcher in Southern League history to win Pitcher of the Year with a better season ERA than Murphy's 1.45 was Travis Wood back in 2009 (1.21). That's saying a lot considering the award has been given out annually since 1972.
Wood went on to make the 2013 All-Star Game as a member of the Chicago Cubs.
That's just how good Shane Murphy has been this season. If you take out his first appearance with the Barons, when he was still getting acclimated to the competition level, he has a 1.29 ERA with a 61:10 strikeout to walk ratio in Double-A.
Shane Murphy is automatic. He, like many in the White Sox org, is being limited on his innings. He goes 5 on 39s/60p and allows 1H and 1BB. He strikes out 4 and has dropped his ERA by .10 to 1.45. #Barons win 3-1, he gets his 7th AA win. He is 8-3 this year between A+ and AA. pic.twitter.com/NrFchkDeTh
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) July 24, 2025
At this point, Shane Murphy is a walking victory, The Barons have won each of his last five starts and he has not allowed more than three runs in a single 2025 appearance.
We'll probably see Murphy make his Major League debut for the White Sox in September, and I couldn't be more excited to see how his minor league excellence translates to the next level.