Hoop Dreams to Field of Dreams: Ex-College Hoopers Chosen in MLB Draft

Swingman Pat Connaughton, a two-time runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Notre Dame, was the most notable college basketball player selected seven years ago in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft. Connaughton, a pitcher, was picked in the fourth round by the Baltimore Orioles (121st choice overall) before losing his lone decision in the New York-Penn League (Class A). Concentrating on professional hoops the past six seasons as a backup shooting guard with the Portland Trail Blazers and Milwaukee Bucks, it is highly unlikely he will become Baltimore's next Big Ben. Connaughton's Organized Ball career faded as he became a three-point specialist for the Bucks' 2021 NBA Finals champion, let alone because of the accuracy he exhibited in ceremonial first pitch at Brewers game where his wayward mid-90s mph fastball reminded observers of wild St. Louis Cardinals lefty Rick Ankiel.

In an era of increased specialization, the Orioles selected former Louisiana State hooper Ben McDonald with the first pick in 1989 draft. McDonald, a part-time starter as a freshman forward under coach Dale Brown in 1986-87, went on to pitch in the starting rotation for the Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers for nine years from 1989 through 1997 before becoming an analyst for ESPN's CWS coverage. Connaughton isn't the first UND hoop standout to pitch at the professional level. Ron Reed, the Irish's top rebounder in 1963-64 and 1964-65, compiled a 146-140 MLB record in 19 seasons from 1966 through 1984 and Bob Arnzen, who averaged 20.3 ppg and 11.5 rpg from 1966-67 through 1968-69, posted a 6-8 minor-league mark in the Montreal Expos' farm system in three years (1969-71-72).

Infielder-outfielder C.J. Henry, the 17th pick overall in the 2005 draft, hit an anemic .222 in four low-minors seasons in the New York Yankees' farm system before the brother of Kansas standout Xavier Henry averaged 3.1 ppg in 13 contests with the Jayhawks in 2009-10. But North Carolina State's Andrew Brackman, who pitched briefly for the Yankees in 2011, is the only DI basketball regular in the 21st Century to become a major leaguer after being selected in the opening round of the amateur draft. Brackman was chosen ahead of supplemental first-rounders Todd Frazier and Justin Jackson. Other notable players picked that year include Brandon Belt (11th round), Zack Cozart (2nd), Lucas Duda (7th), Freddie Freeman (2nd), Matt Harvey (3rd/did not sign), Greg Holland (10th), Craig Kimbrel (33rd/did not sign), Corey Kluber (4th), Jonathan Lucroy (3rd), Anthony Rizzo (6th), Chris Sale (21st/did not sign), Giancarlo Stanton (2nd) and Jordan Zimmerman (2nd).

Numerous universities have featured versatile athletes who played college basketball before going on to major league baseball careers. Connecticut's Scott Burrell, a three-time All-Big East Conference choice under Huskies coach Jim Calhoun, was the first athlete to become a first-round draft pick of two major sports organizations (MLB and NBA). The first-round selection of the Seattle Mariners in 1989 and fifth-round choice by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1990 never reached as high as Double A, compiling a 2-6 Class A pitching record in 14 starts in the Blue Jays' farm system 1990 and 1991. Burrell, a first-round pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1993, averaged 6.9 ppg and 3.5 rpg with four different NBA franchises in eight seasons from 1993-94 through 2000-01. Michael Jordan trash-talked Burrell when they were teammates with the Chicago Bulls, but it would have been interesting to see if MJ could hit him any better than he did against obscure Southern League hurlers.

In 1989, Burrell was picked ahead of supplemental first-rounder Todd Jones plus the following eventual MLB hurlers: Jerry Dipoto (3rd round), Alan Embree (5th), Scott Erickson (4th), Sterling Hitchcock (9th), Trevor Hoffman (11th), Curt Leskanie (8th), Denny Neagle (3rd), Paul Quantrill (6th), Pat Rapp (15th), Shane Reynolds (3rd), Russ Springer (7th), Mike Trombley (14th) and Tim Worrell (20th). In 1990, Burrell was chosen before eventual MLB pitchers Jason Bere (36th round), Eddie Guardado (21st), Mike Hampton (6th), Dave Mlicki (17th), Troy Percival (6th), Andy Pettitte (22nd), Rick White (15th) and Mike Williams (14th).

Former NCAA Division I hoopers Dave Winfield and Bill Almon were MLB teammates the last six seasons of the 1970s after becoming first-round draft choices by the San Diego Padres in back-to-back years. On the eve of 2021 selection process, following is an alphabetical list of major leaguers who were first-round choices in the amateur baseball draft after playing varsity college basketball:

*Did not sign that year.
**January draft/secondary phase.
NOTES: 1B-OF Rick Leach (13th pick in 1979 by Detroit Tigers) was a JV hooper for Michigan and OF Ken Singleton (3rd selection in 1967 by New York Mets) was a freshman hooper for Hofstra. . . . Rasmussen and Stenhouse were compensation for signings of free-agent pitchers Nolan Ryan and Steve Renko, respectively.

The inaugural MLB draft in 1965 included 11 individuals who competed for colleges currently at the NCAA Division I level before they reached the majors - Graig Nettles (San Diego State/4th round), Bob Chlupsa (Manhattan/6th), Ken Szotkiewicz (Georgia Southern/10th), Steve Arlin (Ohio State/16th), Paul Edmondson (Cal State Northridge/21st), Rick Austin (Washington State freshmen team/22nd out of H.S.), Steve Renko (Kansas/24th), Paul Reuschel (Western Illinois/26th), Rich Hacker (Southern Illinois freshman team/39th out of H.S.), Dick Such (Elon/40th) and Bob Gebhard (Iowa/44th). Oregon State hoops All-American Jim Jarvis wasn't picked in first MLB draft, but hit .288 as 2B with three minor-league clubs in the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system in 1966. Research to date reveals that at least one MLB selection in every June draft from 1965 through 1998 played college basketball. Brigham Young had three versatile athletes in this category in the 1970s (Danny Ainge, Doug Howard and Vance Law). Believe it or not, Washington State forward Mark Hendrickson, a two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference basketball selection, was chosen in six straight MLB drafts from 1992 through 1997. Unlike Connaughton ever reaching a MLB field as real player, following is an alphabetical list of former MLB non-first round choices in regular amateur draft who wound up as major leaguers after playing varsity hoops for a college currently or formerly at the NCAA DI level:

NOTE: Pitcher Clair "Bart" Johnson, leading scorer for Brigham Young's 1967-68 freshman squad, was 3rd-round pick by St. Louis Cardinals in 1967 out of high school and 1st-round selection by Chicago White Sox in 1968 June secondary phase.

The first five MLB drafts from 1965 through 1969 had multiple small-college hoopers chosen before they reached the majors (as high as fourth round in 1969 during five-year span of regular phase). Following is an alphabetical list of former MLB non-first round draft choices who wound up as major leaguers after playing varsity hoops for a small college:

Major-college basketball All-Americans selected in MLB draft but never playing Organized Ball or reaching the majors included Alabama's Charles Cleveland (RHP picked in 34th round by Kansas City Royals in 1971 out of high school ahead of 35th-round choice Tom Hume); Virginia Tech's Dell Curry (RHP picked in 37th round by Texas Rangers in 1982 out of high school and 14th round by Baltimore Orioles in 1985 ahead of 15th-round choice Rich DeLucia, 18th-rounder Dennis Cook, 22nd-rounder John Smoltz, 23rd-rounder Scott Kamieniecki, 23rd-rounder Donn Pall, 30th-rounder Chris Nabholz and 36th-rounder Jim Abbott); California's Kevin Johnson (SS picked in 23rd round by Oakland Athletics in 1986 ahead of 27th-round choice John Olerud); Duke's Trajan Langdon (3B picked in 6th round by San Diego Padres in 1994 out of high school ahead of seventh-round choice Russ Branyan, seventh-rounder Geoff Blum, eighth-rounder Ronnie Belliard, 10th-rounder Wes Helms, 11th-rounder Donnie Sadler, 11th-rounder Bubba Trammell, 12th-rounder Wendell Magee, 13th-rounder Ryan Freel, 15th-rounder Daryle Ward, 19th-rounder Placido Polanco, 20th-rounder Dustan Mohr, 20th-rounder J.D. Drew, 25th-rounder Mike Young, 26th-rounder Corey Koskie and 28th-rounder Dave Roberts); North Carolina's Eric Montross (RHP picked in 62nd round by Chicago Cubs in 1994 ahead of 68th-round choice Juan "J.C." Romero and 70th-rounder Jose Santiago); Missouri's Anthony Peeler (LHP picked in 41st round by Texas Rangers in 1988 out of high school ahead of 41st-round choice Chad Ogea and 44th-rounder Scott Erickson); Holy Cross' Ronnie Perry Jr. (INF picked in 12th round by Boston Red Sox in 1979 ahead of 19th-round choice Don Mattingly and 3rd round by Chicago White Sox in 1980 ahead of 3rd-round choice Danny Tartabull, 8th-rounder Eric Davis and 16th-rounder Jim Eisenreich), and Long Beach State's Ed Ratleff (RHP picked in 6th round by Pittsburgh Pirates in 1969 out of high school ahead of 8th-round choice Glenn Abbott, 15th-rounder Jim Slaton, 20th-rounder Dick Ruthven and 25th-rounder Andy Hassler).

In the same category are NCAA playoff coaches Paul Cormier (RHP was picked in 25th round by Detroit Tigers in 1972 ahead of 38th-round choice Bob Shirley); Mitch Henderson (OF was picked in 29th round by New York Yankees in 1994 out of high school ahead of 38th-round choice Eric Byrnes, 43rd-rounder Julio Lugo, 49th-rounder Jason Michaels, 54th-rounder Chris Woodward, 57th-rounder Joe Nelson, 61st-rounder Morgan Ensberg and 71st-rounder Johnny Estrada); Lon Kruger (RHP was picked in 12th round by Houston Astros in 1970 out of high school ahead of 18th-round choice Dale Murray, 19th-rounder Pat Zachry, 29th-rounder John Denny, 30th-rounder Doc Medich and 32nd-rounder Mike Krukow plus 21st round by St. Louis Cardinals in 1974 ahead of 22nd-round choice Dave Rozema, 25th-rounder Tim Stoddard, 28th-rounder Sammy Stewart, 30th-rounder Al Holland and 36th-rounder Eric Show), plus Tom Penders (INF-OF was picked in 8th round by Cleveland Indians in 1968 January Regular Phase).