The Chicago Cubs are promoting infielder B.J. Murray from Triple-A Iowa, a report from FanSided’s Robert Murray said on Monday, adding another versatile bat as the club pushes through the final stretch of the regular season.
Murray, 26, has been one of Iowa’s most productive hitters this year. He is listed as the Cubs’ No. 19 prospect by MLB Pipeline.
The switch-hitter was selected in the 15th round of the 2021 draft and has spent six seasons in the minors. Across those years he has posted a .257 average, .372 on-base percentage and .431 slugging mark, along with 73 home runs and 335 RBIs.
This season at Triple-A he has taken a clear step forward. Murray is hitting .294 with a .395 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage for an .895 OPS. He has 16 home runs and 68 RBIs.
Those numbers have made him a logical candidate for a September look. Manager Craig Counsell now has another option who can play first base or third base and also handle left field if needed.
That kind of flexibility matters in late innings. A switch-hitter who can move around the diamond gives a manager more ways to match up against relief pitchers or cover an injury without scrambling the lineup.
Murray’s path has not been a straight line. After a strong start in the lower minors, he needed time to adjust at the higher levels. The current Triple-A season has been his most consistent stretch at the plate.
Cubs officials have liked the way he controls the strike zone. His walk rate has stayed solid even as he has added more extra-base power.
The timing of the call-up also fits the calendar. Clubs often expand their benches in the last month, looking for fresh legs and extra positional coverage.
Murray is expected to serve primarily as infield depth. He is not projected as an everyday starter right away, but he can spell regulars at the corners and pinch-hit.
His left-field experience is limited compared with his time at first and third, yet it still gives Counsell another outfield alternative if the roster gets thin.
Iowa teammates and coaches have watched him stay even-keeled through a long season. That steadiness is one reason the organization felt comfortable bringing him up now.
The Cubs remain in the mix in the National League Central and are watching every available roster spot. Adding a player who has already shown he can handle Triple-A pitching is a low-risk way to add depth.
Murray will need to prove he can make the jump against major-league pitching. For now, the organization is giving him the chance after a productive year in Des Moines.
Whether he sticks beyond September will depend on how he handles the first few at-bats and how the rest of the roster holds up. For the moment, the Cubs have another versatile piece available for the stretch run.
