Preston Murphy brings pop, patience, and backstop versatility to Ball State
In the 2026 season, Ball State catcher Preston Murphy showed a compact but useful offensive profile: 14 hits in 36 games, four doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI, and a .380 on-base percentage, with extra value as a right-handed catcher who has started at the position in 14 games[1][6]. He’s the kind of gritty, run-producing role player coaches love—physical at 5-foot-9, 210 pounds, experienced, and capable of coming through in spots like his homer against Ohio and multi-hit, multi-walk effort against St. John’s[1][12]. If a team wants a low-drama, high-competitiveness catcher who can handle innings and give the lineup some sneaky thump, Murphy is worth a look[1][6].
