Noah Murdock Bio
Noah James Murdock (born August 20, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He made his Major League Baseball debut in 2025 with the Oakland Athletics and has spent his professional career in the Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations.
Early Life and Background
Noah Murdock attended Colonial Heights High School in Colonial Heights, Virginia, where he completed his high school education before moving on to collegiate baseball. He honored a commitment to the University of Virginia and played for the Virginia Cavaliers rather than signing when the Washington Nationals selected him in the 38th round of the 2016 MLB draft.
At the University of Virginia, Murdock developed through the collegiate program prior to entering the professional ranks. His time with the Cavaliers preceded his selection in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft, after which he began his professional career within the Kansas City Royals organization.
Path to Baseball
Murdock was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the seventh round, 199th overall, of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He debuted professionally that season with the rookie-level Burlington Royals, posting a 2.17 ERA and recording 43 strikeouts in 11 appearances.
The 2020 minor league season was cancelled, and Murdock returned to action in 2021 with the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits. His early professional years were marked by work across multiple minor league levels as he progressed through the Royals’ system.
Noah Murdock Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Noah Murdock began his pro career in 2019 after being drafted by the Kansas City Royals, making an immediate impression in Burlington with a 2.17 ERA and 43 strikeouts across 11 appearances. The cancellation of the 2020 minor league season interrupted development for many prospects, including Murdock, who resumed competitive play in 2021.
In 2021 Murdock moved to High-A Quad Cities, where he made seven appearances, six of them starts, and posted a 3.18 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 22 and two-thirds innings. Those appearances represented his first extended work above rookie level and set the stage for the next phase of his progression through the Royals’ system.
Kansas City Royals Organization (2019–2024)
Murdock spent the 2022 season split between Quad Cities and the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, making 17 starts and compiling 64 strikeouts in 70 and one-third innings while finishing with an 0–7 record and a 6.91 ERA. He returned to Northwest Arkansas in 2023, moving into a relief role and appearing 36 times with a 5.87 ERA and 77 strikeouts across 69 innings.
In 2024 Murdock split time between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, assembling a stronger season out of the bullpen. Over 46 combined appearances he posted a 3.16 ERA and recorded 72 strikeouts in 62 and two-thirds innings, work that helped place him on other clubs’ radars in the subsequent Rule 5 draft.
Athletics Debut (2025)
On December 11, 2024, the Oakland Athletics selected Noah Murdock from the Kansas City Royals in the Rule 5 draft. Manager Mark Kotsay announced on March 17, 2025, that Murdock had made the Athletics’ Opening Day roster, and he proceeded to make his Major League debut that season.
Across 14 appearances for the Oakland Athletics in 2025, Murdock recorded 21 strikeouts in 17 innings but struggled to a 13.24 earned run average. He was designated for assignment on May 9, 2025, following roster moves and was returned to the Kansas City Royals organization on May 12, 2025.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2025–Present)
After finishing the 2025 campaign back in the Royals system and electing free agency on November 6, 2025, Noah Murdock signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates on November 14, 2025. The agreement placed him in the Pirates organization with the opportunity to continue work at the Triple-A level and pursue a return to the Major Leagues.
Murdock’s late-2025 move to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization followed a season that included time at the Major League level and further Triple-A work with the Omaha Storm Chasers, where he made 16 appearances and posted a 6.00 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 21 innings after being returned to Kansas City.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Murdock’s professional career include being selected in the 2019 MLB draft by the Kansas City Royals, being chosen in the Rule 5 draft by the Oakland Athletics on December 11, 2024, and making an Opening Day roster and Major League debut in 2025. His 2025 MLB appearances represent his first work at the Major League level and his initial recorded Major League statistics.
Noah Murdock Career Wins
Noah Murdock’s verified Major League record through the 2025 season lists a 1–1 win–loss record, a 13.24 earned run average, and 21 strikeouts. Those figures reflect his 14 appearances and 17 innings pitched at the Major League level during the 2025 season with the Oakland Athletics.
Major League Baseball Highlights
Murdock’s primary Major League highlight is his 2025 debut and inclusion on the Oakland Athletics’ Opening Day roster. The statistical line through 2025 — 1–1, 13.24 ERA, 21 strikeouts — captures his first exposure to big league competition and serves as the baseline for his ongoing professional career.
Other Wins & Perfromances
In the minor leagues Murdock has several strong relief and developmental campaigns, including his 2019 rookie-level debut with Burlington (2.17 ERA, 43 strikeouts in 11 appearances) and a productive 2024 season across Double-A and Triple-A that produced a 3.16 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 62 and two-thirds innings. Those performances helped propel him to the Rule 5 selection and a Major League opportunity.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was Murdock’s first at the Major League level and included time both with the Oakland Athletics and back in the Kansas City Royals’ Triple-A affiliate. He made 14 appearances for the Athletics, yielding a 13.24 ERA with 21 strikeouts across 17 innings, and after being returned to the Royals he made 16 appearances for Triple-A Omaha, posting a 6.00 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 21 innings.
Those mixed results characterize a transitional season for Murdock, combining the challenge of Major League hitters with continued work at the Triple-A level. His subsequent minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates in November 2025 set the next stage for his development and pursuit of additional Major League opportunities.