Hoop Dreams to Field of Dreams: Ex-Hoopsters/#1 MLB Picks Reaching Bigs

Swingman Pat Connaughton, Notre Dame's runner-up in scoring and rebounding the last two seasons, was the most notable college basketball player selected last year 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).

In an era of increased specialization, the Orioles selected former LSU hoopster Ben McDonald with the first pick in the 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.

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, is 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.

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).

Lefthanded reliever Matt Thornton of the Washington Nationals averaged 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game for Grand Valley State (MI) from 1995-96 through 1997-98, shooting 54.7% from the floor his last two seasons before becoming a first-round draft choice by the Seattle Mariners. Following is an alphabetical list including Thornton among the 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 player for Michigan and OF Ken Singleton (3rd selection in 1967 by New York Mets) was a freshman player for Hofstra. . . . Rasmussen and Stenhouse were compensation for signings of free-agent pitchers Nolan Ryan and Steve Renko, respectively.