NFL Quarterbacks Drafted into MLB

Good morning everyone and welcome to NFL Draft day. Now I have to admit that I am not the hugest fan of the NFL anymore, both because life got busy and because of the shenanigans that the league continues to not only allow, but also condone, I do admit that this day still means a lot to whole lot of people. With that said, and seeing as this is a baseball blog, I wanted to take a quick look at the ever-growing list of successful NFL quarterbacks that were once drafted by a Major League Baseball team. This is far from a complete list, to be honest, but I did try and include as much of the Yankees-related drafting news that I could as well as hitting the high spots with the actual players themselves. Enjoy!

The Colorado Rockies drafted Russell Wilson in the 2010 MLB First Year Players Draft before ultimately losing him to the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. The Texas Rangers also acquired his services and recently traded him to the New York Yankees who had him in their spring training camp here in 2018. Wilson worked out with the team and even received one at-bat this spring, that at-bat resulted in a strikeout for the successful Super Bowl winning quarterback.

The San Diego Padres drafted Johnny Manziel in 2014 before “Johnny Football” went to the Cleveland Browns. Manziel lasted two years with Cleveland before the team ultimately cut him.

The Texas Rangers drafted Jameis Winston in 2012 with the promise of all the crab leg buffets that he could eat after every game. Too soon? As a Georgia Tech fan, I would lean towards that answer being a “no.” The whole ACC rivalry thing and all, but maybe it was a low blow. You decide.

The Chicago Cubs drafted Colin Kaepernick in the 2009 Draft. You have to wonder what could have been for Kaepernick and the Cubs had he tried to kneel during the national anthem in Chicago, and not in San Francisco. Who knows, another debate for another blog I guess.

Jake Locker was drafted twice, once in 2006 and once again in 2009, by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. I guess the Angels really wanted Locker.

Matt Moore was also drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, this time in the 2004 MLB Draft. The only Matt Moore I know is the one who used to terrorize the Yankees with the Tampa Bay Rays and now pitches, last I checked, with the Texas Rangers. I assume this isn’t the same one (it isn’t, it is called sarcasm ladies and gentlemen).

Matt Cassel was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 2004 joining Moore in the 2004 QB class.

Dennis Dixon was drafted twice out of college, the first time in 2003 by the Cincinnati Reds and again by the Atlanta Braves in 2007. I guess I would have went to play with the Pittsburgh Steelers too if the Reds or Braves drafted me.

The New York Yankees took Brandon Weeden in the 2002 Draft. The Yankees traded Weeden, Jeff Weaver and Yhency Brazoban a year later to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Kevin Brown, and the rest, as they say, is history. Weeden never played above High-A Ball and ultimately quit the game after the 2006 season after injuries and a lack of performance began to pile up.

The Colorado Rockies drafted Michael Vick in the 2000 MLB Draft with the promise of dog…. Yeah it is still too soon for jokes like that, even for me. The baseball fan in me though would like to see what Vick could do on the basepaths though. Could he be the next Ricky Henderson, speed wise?

Brooks Bollinger was drafted in consecutive years, 2000 and 2001, both times by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Chad Hutchinson was drafted twice also by MLB teams, the first time coming in 1995 when the Atlanta Braves drafted him, and the second time coming in 1998 when the St. Louis Cardinals organization called his name during the draft.

The New York Yankees drafted Drew Henson to be their third baseman of the future in 1998. We all know how that worked out for Henson, both with the Yankees and with the Dallas Cowboys.

Move over Brett Gardner 

New York also drafted Daunte Culpepper in the 1995 Draft. The Yankees love their quarterbacks, apparently. Culpepper went on to have a successful career with the Minnesota Vikings after turning the Yankees down.

And of course, you cannot have one of these lists without mentioning that the Montreal Expos drafted Tom Brady back in the 1995 MLB First Year Players Draft. I guess some would say that Tom made the right decision going to the Patriots and not to Montreal, which is now the Washington Nationals.

A lot of people forget Dan Marino was also drafted into MLB by the Kansas City Royals in 1979. Even though Marino went to Miami I would also call that a great decision for Dan.

Not to be outdone though John Elway was drafted not once, but twice by MLB teams including the Kansas City Royals who also drafted Elway in 1979 along with Marino, and the New York Yankees who drafted Elway in 1981.

Will the New York Yankees, or any MLB team for that matter, take any future NFL quarterbacks tonight in the NFL Draft? Stay tuned tonight and find out. The Yankees game today is an afternoon contest, so all our attention can turn to the Draft.

Mortgaging The Future May Not Be A Bad Idea

As I write this article I understand that it may be a little tongue and cheek, cliché, or downright wrong but I am going to go ahead and post it anyway. If the Yankees did it right, and that’s the keyword of the statement, mortgaging the future may not be the worst idea they have ever had. This post may seem negative at times but I assure you it’s more for strategy purposes than anything. I love this team and want nothing but the best for it. I am not advocating for selling anything not tied down just for the heck of it and I’m not saying I would sacrifice the future for a lost cause, again I only suggest this if it’s done the right way, but I am saying that maybe selling high on guys wouldn’t be the worst idea we have ever had.

As we all are painfully aware of the Yankees have struggled with developing their own talent out of their farm system, specifically with starting pitchers. The Yankees have caught more lightning in a bottle with lesser known names and late drafted players then they have the “can’t miss” prospects. Why not trade away the Yankees top notch guys for say a Troy Tulowitzki, who has hinted at wanting out of the losing environment in Colorado, to play for a perennial contender, and to be the man to replace the retiring Derek Jeter, and roll with what we have left to fill the other voids. New York won’t have the big name draws to the park but the Yankees can survive it and still produce true Major League talent circa 1996-2000.

So many times have we seen a Jesus Montero, Drew Henson, even as far back as a Brien Taylor fizzle out and never reach their true potential. De Ja Vu all over again as we see Gary Sanchez struggling at an advanced stage, although improving defensively, and being suspended for undisclosed reasons in Trenton. We were all on the Mason Williams and Tyler Austin bandwagons only to be let down this season and last once again, not that they don’t have plenty of time to turn things around. Rafael DePaula breaks my heart every time he has a bad outing because nobody was as high on the guy as me, I had him listed in our Prospects Month prospect list at the #2 slot behind Sanchez. I’m not sure why these guys don’t work out and frankly I wouldn’t begin to know how to explain it but I also wouldn’t hold onto them based on projections alone. If the right deal were to come around I’d move them in a heartbeat, here’s also looking at you Cole Hamels.

The Yankees have gotten more out of the likes of Adam Warren, David Phelps, Dellin Betances, David Robertson, Francisco Cervelli, John Ryan Murphy, Brett Gardner, Robinson Cano, Shane Greene recently, etc. then they have out of these can’t miss guys. Whether it’s the lack of spotlight or eyes on the players or if the Yankees are just unlucky is yet to be determined but the fact remains the Yankees bread and butter has been lesser known prospects and later in the draft type prospects rather than blue chips. Currently tearing up Triple-A and outperforming most on the current Yankees roster are players like Jose Pirela, Robert Refsnyder, Adonis Garcia, Kyle Roller, John Ryan Murphy, and others that most casual fans would not know if they met them walking down the street. My point being this, the hype and the name only goes so far and the talent speaks for itself. These guys have the talent and the mental makeup to go with it, some of the blue chip prospects simply don’t and that’s baseball.

I said all that to say this, if the Yankees can make a deal that “empties” the farm and has us listed low on all these pre-season and midseason prospects lists, so what? These lists are made from people that don’t cover the team or watch the team daily and their opinions are just that, opinions. Who cares if we win a Triple-A championship? I, personally, am more concerned with winning #28 in the Bronx and while I am the biggest supporter and follower of prospects and the young guys I still want to see the big league team win. If the Yankees can swing a trade that involves Luis Severino, Abi Avelino, Gary Sanchez, etc. then do it if it makes sense and it’s done right. The Yankees may not have a Top 10 prospects list on Baseball America next January but we’ll have plenty of guys to shine up another trophy for the trophy case in November. 

This Day In New York Yankees History 7/12

On this day in 1989 Louisiana Lightning Ron Guidry retired from baseball. During his 14 season career with the Yankees Guidry finished with 170 wins and a 3.91 ERA.

On this day in 2000 the Yankees sent Drew Henson and prospects to the Cincinnati Reds for Denny Neagle. Neagle would get a victory in the World Series clinching game against the New York Mets.

Yankees Hire Former Prospect Drew Henson As Coach

The Yankees have hired former "can't miss" prospect Drew Henson to be the hitting coach and instructor for the Gulf Coast Yankees in the Gulf Coast League. The Yankees drafted Drew Henson out of High School in 1998 and played baseball for the Yankees and football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1998-2000. He quit football after the 2000 season to pursue baseball full time with the Yanks. Let's just hope that he is a better hitting coach then he was a quarterback or third basemen.