PITTSBURGH — There’s a few things you need to know about Murf Gray.

To start, his name’s not really Murf. He was born as Triston Allen Gray, giving himself the nickname “Murf” from his childhood favorite movie, “Like Mike.” Most early nicknames don’t have staying power, but even his family calls him Murf — unless, of course, his mother is mad.

Another is that family. Gray grew up as the middle child of five kids — all boys — in Madera, a central California agricultural town north of Fresno. His father, Fernando, works maintenance for the county. His mom, Monet, was a high school lunch lady for 19 years.

But probably most important is the Pirates prospect can really hit. He was the No. 73 overall pick in last year’s MLB draft, started this year at Low-A Bradenton then bashed his way to two promotions.

Thirty-one homers, 95 RBIs, a .303 batting average and a .963 OPS across three levels?

Not bad for a 22-year-old in his first taste of pro ball.

“It’s been a dream and it’s been just the most amazing thing I’ve done in my life,” Gray told the Post-Gazette last month in Altoona.

And Gray’s debut season has the Pirates dreaming on his potential.

When Gray was selected last July, Ke’Bryan Hayes was the Pirates’ third baseman, not hitting much but still entrenched in a long-term deal. Just over a year later, Hayes is gone — and there’s a big opportunity in front of Gray.

Gray hasn’t reached the Triple-A club in Indianapolis yet. Starting 2027 in the big leagues would be a stretch, as he’ll need to keep developing. Some worry his massive frame will eventually force a move to first base. But so far, so good.

“He’s done a really good job over there,” Altoona infield coach Gary Green said. “It’s a lot better than I thought it would be. His throws are accurate. His work is really good. Pays attention to details. He’s got a chance to play third base until he shows people that he can’t.”

Gray credits several things for his season, which has turned him from a well-regarded but not well-recognized draft pick into a consensus top-100 prospect.

Foremost is a family mantra.

“Let go and let God,” he said.

His upbringing played a huge role, too. The Gray boys were always competing, from racing in the swimming pool to heated games of pickup basketball.

Gray jokes that he avoids basketball now. He is listed at 6 feet 3 and 230 pounds, but compared to his brothers, he’s almost the runt of the litter.

His older brothers are 6 feet 4 and 6 feet 5. His younger brother, Nathan, sprouted to 6 feet 9. The youngest, Ryan, is 5 feet 9 — and he isn’t even in high school yet.

Gray recently rattled off a list of the things he broke with his brothers. A wayward swing with a 9-iron shattered his grandpa’s car window. His older brother crashed through a window as the boys played basketball in the house. At least one lamp was a casualty of an indoor baseball game.

“It was hectic every single day, but you learned to love every second of it because you were competing every day for your spot,” Gray said. “ ... It was the most amazing and the most fun because that’s how we grew to love each other every day.”

Having big brothers also created opportunities for Gray. As he tells it, when he was 6, he would show up to his brother’s travel baseball practices and ask to play with his brother’s 9U team.

“I think that’s where my love and passion came from, right then and there,” Gray said.

Despite his father’s long hours at work, he always made time when he got home to hit Gray ground balls or throw him batting practice. Mom often paid for school lunches with her own money when a student didn’t have enough to pay, making sure all mouths got fed.

Gray went on to play college ball at Fresno State, less than an hour away from Madera.

He was dominant on the diamond right away, winning Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors in 2023 and Mountain West tournament MVP in 2024 and 2025. He drew comparisons to fellow Fresno State alumnus Aaron Judge.

Unlike some other 2025 draft picks, Gray didn’t play in any affiliated games in 2025 after he was drafted. The Pirates focused on his weaknesses, from foot speed to his barrel path. He made plenty of contact but chased just as much — the Pirates wanted him to work on swing decisions, too.

Gray said the hard work continued “around the clock” in Bradenton, Fla., after the season.

“I was just working constantly at getting better at defense, working on my range of motion, working on my side-to-side, making sure I’m fast enough as soon as the ball’s hit, making sure I can get my barrel to the right spot,” Gray said.

It’s all paying off.

Gray crushed Low-A Bradenton, earning a promotion after 38 games. Fifteen homers and a .991 OPS in 43 games at High-A Greensboro bumped him to Altoona.

Gray struggled initially in Double-A, though a healthy dose of walks kept his on-base percentage high. In 20 games since Aug. 15, he’s treating Altoona like Bradenton and Greensboro — a .311 average, four homers, 15 RBIs and a .951 OPS. He’s reached base in 40 of the 42 games he’s played.

That adjustment impressed Altoona manager Andy Fox.

“The game’s built on failure, but it’s how those guys come back,” Fox said. “For me, just knowing him for a short time now, he’s on the right track.”

With those numbers, it’s clear Gray is on track to be part of the Pirates’ future — maybe even soon. Nick Gonzales has had a breakout year offensively, but he has graded poorly at third base. Jared Triolo’s hitting hasn’t been consistent. Nick Yorke and Jacob Gonzalez remain unfinished products.

Gray will almost certainly start next year in the minors, but could he help the Pirates by season’s end?

He isn’t thinking about that now. Altoona’s not the end goal, but he doesn’t want to overlook this stop.

“Be happy where your feet are,” Gray said. “Even more than that, don’t take anything for granted. This opportunity only lasts so long. I’m just happy I get to play this game for the Pittsburgh Pirates and I’m happy I get to play every day.”

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