Seahawks QB Russell Wilson played two years of minor league baseball before pursuing an NFL career. Next week he’ll suit up for a Texas Rangers preseason game.
Russell Wilson became one of the youngest quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl. Does that mean he can hit a curveball? / Drew McKenzie, Sportspress Northwest
Time to find out if Russell Wilson can hit a curveball.
The Seahawks quarterback will join the Texas Rangers next week in Surprise, AZ. for a Monday morning workout, then watch from the dugout when Texas plays a Cactus League game against the Indians, the club announced Wednesday.
Last December during the MLB Winter Meetings, the Rangers selected Wilson, a former second baseman at North Carolina State (2008-10) and minor leaguer (2010-11), in the Rule-5 Draft.
It wasn’t the first instance of a club coveting Wilson. The Colorado Rockies drafted the Super Bowl winner and two-time Pro Bowl selection in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB amateur draft.
In 93 games during parts of two seasons with the short-season, A Tri-City Dust Devils (2010) and A Asheville Tourists (2011), Wilson hit .229/.354/.356 with five home runs, 26 RBIs, a .710 OPS and added 19 stolen bases (He was caught stealing eight times).
He was eligible in last year’s Rule-5 draft even though he hadn’t played competitive baseball since opting for the NFL.
Reportedly, the Rangers drafted Wilson, 25, with the expectation he come to spring training and serve as a positive influence on younger players. The organization’s official announcement came about a week after Wilson tweeted a picture that might make Mariners fans cringe.
Hey @Rangers fans… See you at “Surprise” Arizona on March 3! #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/ZiaEmtL0nW
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) February 20, 2014
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