Former Arizona pitcher Chandler Murphy transfers to Missouri

Who knew Columbia, Mo. would become such a popular destination for ex-Wildcats.

Former Arizona right-handed pitcher Chandler Murphy announced on Instagram Friday that he was transferring to Missouri for the 2023 season, joining fellow ex-UA reliever Javyn Pimental.

Murphy spent three seasons at Arizona, with the first two going much better than the third. He was 9-0 in 2020-21, including 7-0 in 2021, but a forearm injury caused him to miss last fall and delay his debut in the spring.

When he returned to action he wasn’t the same, going 1-2 with a 9.73 ERA in 28.2 innings over 13 appearances.

Murphy, from Peoria, has two years of eligibility remaining and is also eligible to be taken in this weekend’s MLB Draft.

Pimental and Murphy are the first two Arizona players who entered the NCAA transfer portal in June to announce where they’re heading. The Wildcats have picked up one player from the portal, former Butler righty Derek Drees, and are expected to be more active following the draft.