Baseball star readies for first season

For The Madera Tribune

Former Madera South and Fresno State baseball standout prepares for a workout as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization this summer. Gray is getting himself ready for his first full professional baseball season, which will begin in February.

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Madera South standout and Fresno State Bulldog Murf Gray heard his name announced in the third round of last July’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Since then, it has been a whirlwind tour for Gray. He will next prepare for Spring Training in February for his first full professional baseball season, living the dream he had since he was a Little Leaguer.

“I expect myself to start off in Spring Training with a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I’ll be ready to work and ready to be in a different environment. It’s like I’m a freshman at Fresno State, again. It’s almost like you have to prove something, but the proving is done. You have to have that confidence and have fun.”