Hoop Dreams to Field of Dreams: Will Connaughton Become Next Big Ben?
Swingman Pat Connaughton, a two-time runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Notre Dame, was the most notable college basketball player selected four 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 three seasons as a backup shooting guard with the Portland Trail Blazers, he seemed unlikely to become Baltimore's next Big Ben. But could Connaughton be back on the diamond in the not-too-distant future seeing where his mid-90s mph fastball can take him in Organized Ball?
In an era of increased specialization, the Orioles selected former LSU hooper 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. 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.
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 the 2018 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:
| First-Round Choice | Position | College(s) | MLB Team Selector | Pick Overall | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Almon | SS | Brown | San Diego Padres | 1st | 1974 |
| Andy Benes | RHP | Evansville | San Diego Padres | 1st | 1988 |
| Andrew Brackman | RHP | North Carolina State | New York Yankees | 30th | 2007 |
| Tony Clark | 1B | Arizona/San Diego State | Detroit Tigers | 2nd | 1990 |
| Cameron Drew | OF | New Haven CT | Houston Astros | 12th | 1985 |
| Atlee Hammaker | LHP | East Tennessee State | Kansas City Royals | 21st | 1979 |
| Rich Hand | RHP | Puget Sound WA | Cleveland Indians | 1st | 1969** |
| Jim Lyttle | OF | Florida State | New York Yankees | 10th | 1966 |
| Ben McDonald | RHP | Louisiana State | Baltimore Orioles | 1st | 1989 |
| Dennis Rasmussen | LHP | Creighton | California Angels | 17th | 1980 |
| Jeff Shaw | RHP | Rio Grande OH | Cleveland Indians | 1st | 1986** |
| *Mike Stenhouse | OF-1B | Harvard | Oakland Athletics | 26th | 1979 |
| Matt Thornton | LHP | Grand Valley State MI | Seattle Mariners | 22nd | 1998 |
| Dave Winfield | OF | Minnesota | San Diego Padres | 4th | 1973 |
| John Young | 1B | Chapman CA | Detroit Tigers | 16th | 1969** |
*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.