(riveraveblues.com)
Bradenton's J.R. Murphy made his professional debut two summers ago at Pirate City with the Gulf Coast Yankees.
If all goes according to plan, he may return to Bradenton this summer with another Yankees affiliate - the high Single-A team based in Tampa.
Tim Bontemps, who covers minor league baseball for the New York Post, said Murphy will most likely begin the season with the Yankees' low Single-A team in Charleston, but could get a bump to Tampa if he plays well.
That could result in a homecoming of sorts. The Tampa Yankees compete in the Florida State League, as do the Bradenton Marauders, the Pirates' affiliate set to begin season No. 2 at McKechnie Field.
Tampa visits Bradenton for a three-game series beginning July 22.
Murphy, a graduate of The Pendleton School who turns 20 in May, spent all of last season with Charleston, batting .255 with seven home runs and 54 RBI in 87 games. Baseball America ranked him the Yankees' 14th best prospect, according to Bontemps.
Murphy is part of a deep pool of Yankees catchers that includes Jesus Montero and Austin Romine, both of whom are competing for the major-league back-up job this spring.
In his report, Bontempts said Murphy's "bat is ahead of his defense" - he committed 11 errors in 53 games behind the plate last year, but threw out a respectable 23 percent of runners trying to steal - and he could possibly shift to third base or an outfield spot in the future.
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