Penn Murfee Bio
William Penn Murfee (born May 2, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher and a free agent. Murfee has Major League experience with the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox, appearing as a relief pitcher across multiple seasons and compiling a major league record that includes 105 strikeouts through the 2025 season.
Early Life and Background
William Penn Murfee attended Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, where he completed his high school education before continuing his baseball career in college. After high school he enrolled at Vanderbilt University, where he spent time as an infielder before converting to pitching late in his time with the Commodores.
Murfee took a redshirt season as a freshman at Vanderbilt and played for the Commodores for three seasons. For his redshirt senior season he transferred to Santa Clara University, where he continued his development as a pitcher and positioned himself for professional opportunity.
Path to Baseball
Murfee was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 33rd round, 988th overall, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He began his professional career in the Mariners organization in 2018, working through the club’s minor league levels as he adjusted fully to pitching at the professional level.
During his time in the Mariners’ system Murfee built a profile as a strikeout-oriented pitcher at multiple levels. He earned organizational recognition after the 2019 season and gained additional experience in fall and international competition that helped accelerate his path to the major leagues.
Penn Murfee Career
Early Career (2018–2021)
Murfee began his professional career with the Everett AquaSox in 2018, where he recorded a 3–2 record and a 6.55 earned run average over 33 innings. In 2019 he advanced through three minor league levels, combining for a 6–5 record, a 3.57 ERA and an elevated strikeout total of 136 across more than 113 innings, a performance that drew attention inside the Mariners organization.
Following the 2019 season Murfee was recognized by the Seattle Mariners with the organization’s minor league 60 ft., 6-in Club Award and played in the Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Javelinas. He also was selected for the United States national baseball team for the 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament. Murfee did not pitch in 2020 because the minor league season was canceled, and he spent 2021 splitting time between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma, posting a 7–3 record with a 4.23 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 78.2 innings over 26 appearances.
Major League Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Murfee reached the major leagues in 2022 when the Seattle Mariners selected him to the active roster in April. He experienced an unusual start to that month when he spent several days on the active roster without appearing in a game, a brief period that made him a phantom ballplayer before he was re-added and made his official MLB debut on April 29, 2022, against the Miami Marlins, recording his first two major league strikeouts in that outing.
During his rookie season Murfee established himself as a reliable bullpen arm, appearing in 64 games for Seattle and compiling a 4–0 record with a 2.99 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 69.1 innings. He followed with limited appearances in 2023, posting a 1.29 ERA with 16 strikeouts over 14.0 innings before undergoing season-ending surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament on June 27, 2023.
Chicago White Sox Era (2025)
Murfee moved through several organizations following his time with Seattle. Transactions in subsequent seasons included waiver claims and a stint on injured lists with other clubs, culminating with a claim by the Chicago White Sox on November 4, 2024. In 2025 he made 15 appearances for the White Sox, recording an 0–1 mark with a 7.82 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 12.2 innings before being removed from the 40-man roster and outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte on May 6, 2025.
At Triple-A Charlotte Murfee returned to work in relief, making 22 appearances and logging a 2–1 record with a 4.09 ERA, 16 strikeouts and one save in 22 innings. The White Sox organization released Murfee on August 1, 2025, and he is currently a free agent.
Pitching Style and Strengths
Murfee’s statistical profile across his professional career points to an ability to generate swing-and-miss results, as evidenced by his high strikeout totals in the minors and his 105 MLB strikeouts through the 2025 season. His workload in 2022 as a multi-inning reliever and his strikeout rates at multiple levels underscore his value as a bullpen arm capable of handling varied assignments.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Murfee’s career include his selection to the 2019 United States national baseball team for the WBSC Premier12 tournament, his Arizona Fall League appearance after the 2019 season, his MLB debut on April 29, 2022, and his rookie season with the Seattle Mariners in which he posted a 4–0 record and a sub-3.00 ERA across 64 appearances. His career also includes a documented UCL surgery in June 2023 and multiple waiver transactions that moved him between organizations in subsequent seasons.
Penn Murfee Career Wins
Across Major League competition through 2025 Murfee holds a 5–3 win–loss record with an earned run average of 3.38 and 105 strikeouts, totals that reflect his combined appearances for Seattle and Chicago at the big league level. His wins include contributions both as a multi-inning reliever and as a late-inning bullpen option during his most active major league seasons.
MLB Highlights
Murfee’s most prominent MLB stretch came in 2022 with the Seattle Mariners, when he made 64 appearances, posted a 4–0 record, a 2.99 ERA and collected 76 strikeouts in 69.1 innings. That season stands as his most extensive major league workload and established him as a capable relief option in the Mariners bullpen.
Other Wins & Perfromances
In the minor leagues Murfee produced notable strikeout totals, particularly in 2019 when he amassed 136 strikeouts across three levels while maintaining a 3.57 ERA. His 2018 and 2021 seasons included developmental milestones, and his 2019 recognition by the Mariners and participation in the Arizona Fall League were meaningful steps in his progression to the majors.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season included both major league and Triple-A action for Murfee. He struggled in 15 appearances at the major league level for the Chicago White Sox, recording an 0–1 record and a 7.82 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 12.2 innings before being sent outright to Triple-A on May 6. At Triple-A Charlotte he worked as a bullpen arm across 22 outings, posting a 2–1 record, a 4.09 ERA, 16 strikeouts and one save, then was released by the organization on August 1, 2025.
Following his release Murfee is a free agent. His recent history combines demonstrated strikeout ability and MLB experience with time lost to injury and organizational moves; as a free agent he brings a major league track record and recent Triple-A activity that clubs can evaluate for bullpen depth or multi-inning relief roles.