Donnie Murphy is a former professional baseball player who played primarily as an infielder. He was born on March 10, 1983, in Lakewood, California, and attended Riverside Polytechnic High School. Murphy was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the fifth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft.
Murphy made his Major League debut with the Royals on September 2, 2004, at the age of 21. He played in 11 games for the Royals that season, batting .250 with one home run and three runs batted in (RBIs). Murphy spent the next few seasons bouncing between the minor leagues and the Major Leagues, playing for the Royals, Oakland Athletics, and Miami Marlins.
In 2013, Murphy signed with the Texas Rangers and had a breakout season. He played in 47 games for the Rangers, batting .255 with 11 home runs and 23 RBIs. Murphy's performance earned him a spot on the Rangers' roster for the 2014 season.
However, Murphy struggled in 2014, batting just .196 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 45 games. He was released by the Rangers in August of that year and signed with the New York Yankees, where he played in just six games before being released again.
Overall, Murphy played in 457 Major League games over the course of his career, batting .212 with 28 home runs and 104 RBIs. He was known for his versatility, playing all four infield positions as well as the outfield during his career.
After his playing career ended, Murphy became a coach. He served as a hitting coach for the Arizona League Cubs in 2017 and as a coach for the Eugene Emeralds in 2018. In 2019, Murphy was named the manager of the Eugene Emeralds, a Class A Short Season affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
In conclusion, Donnie Murphy had a modest career in Major League Baseball, playing for several teams over the course of a decade. He had a breakout season with the Texas Rangers in 2013 but struggled in his final season in 2014. After his playing career ended, Murphy became a coach and is currently managing in the minor leagues.
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