Looking back at MLB stars as football recruits

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Football season is still months away but the Major League Baseball regular got underway this week and several former football recruits find themselves as prominent MLB players. We take a look at several current MLB players who opted for a professional life on the diamond instead of the gridiron.

As a recruit/football player: Giancarlo "Mike" Stanton was unranked in 2007, mainly because it was assumed he would pursue a career in baseball. That ended up being the case as Stanton turned down overtures from UNLV, USC and UCLA to go pro after being drafted by the then-Florida Marlins. While at powerhouse California high school program Notre Dame, Stanton played baseball, basketball and football and had 11 touchdown catches in his senior season.

In the MLB: One of the faces of the game, Stanton clearly made the right choice by sticking with baseball. He’s a three-time all-star who finished second in national league MVP voting in 2014. Stanton made baseball history when he signed a 13-year, $325 million contract following the 2014 season.

As a recruit/football player: Samardzija was a three-star in the 2003 class and chose Notre Dame over the likes of Indiana, Northwestern and Purdue. The chance to play both sports in South Bend was a major appeal for Samardzija, who went onto have a terrific career as a wide receiver, posting back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons in 2005 and 2006.

In the MLB: After deciding to pass on a potential NFL career, Samardzija was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs. He started off his career as a relief pitcher and before transitioning to a full-time starter. He earned all-star honors in 2014 and has played for the Cubs, the Oakland A’s, Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants, his current teams.

As a recruit/football player: Hamilton was a two-star wide receiver prospect in the 2009 class and actually committed and signed with Mississippi State. But after being selected in the second round of the MLB Draft by Cincinnati, he elected to skip college football to head straight into the Reds organization. As a high school athlete, Hamilton was all-state in baseball, football and basketball.

In the MLB: Hamilton worked his way through the Reds organization and broke into the majors in 2013. Known as one of the fastest players in the game, Hamilton has dazzled with his base-stealing ability and his highlight-reel catches in centerfield. He has finished in the Top 10 in the majors in stolen bases each of the last four seasons.

As a recruit/football player: Bradley was a three-star quarterback in the 2011 class and was expected to play both football and baseball at Oklahoma. While he didn’t put up gaudy high school stats, Bradley was an Elite 11 finalist and was expected to be part of the Sooners' future quarterback battles. However, after being selected No. 7 overall in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, he elected to turn pro and focus on baseball.

In the MLB: After working his way through the minors Bradley made the Diamondbacks opening day roster in 2015, quickly becoming one of the team’s best young arms. His career was derailed when he was struck by a line drive that same season, but after missing an extended period of time he recovered and started 26 games for the team in 2016. This year, he’s serving as a relief pitcher after narrowly missing a spot in the rotation.

As a recruit/football player: Several FBS programs took a long look at Szczur as a recruit, but in the end FCS program Villanova was the only school to offer a scholarship. The move turned out to be a wise one for the Wildcats, as Szczur became a star, playing quarterback, wide receiver and running back as well as serving as the team’s primary kick returner. He led Villanova to an FCS national championship in 2009 and was awarded MVP honors after recording 270 all-purpose yards in the team’s victory.

In the MLB: Szcur also starred on Villanova’s baseball team and was a fifth round selection of the Chicago Cubs. After signing a contract with the team he skipped the NFL Combine and committed fully to baseball. He broke into the majors in 2014 and became a regular player for the Cubs in 2016, appearing in more than 100 games and being a part of the club’s World Series victory.