With their unwelcome honor of opening a third day of the 2018 draft, all because of a last-place finish in 2017, the Tigers began by sticking with hope as much as with skill as they drafted Kacey Murphy, a left-handed starter from the University of Arkansas.
Murphy, a 6-foot, 200-pound senior, is 8-4 in 15 games for the Razorbacks with a 2.86 ERA. He has thrown 88 innings, allowed 71 hits, struck out 74, and walked 16.
The Tigers took him in the 11th round, 315th overall.
Baseball America’s scouting report on Murphy:
"There’s little flashy about Murphy, but he has been effective with fringe-average stuff and above-average control.