For the amateurs and world-renowned experts all now weighing in on Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray’s forthcoming decision over whether to pursue baseball or football, here’s something to think about: It’s a lot easier to find work playing for an MLB team than an NFL one.
At any given time, a Major League Baseball organization might have some 250 minor leaguers playing somewhere in their system or kicking around their spring-training compound. That gives them plenty of room to take chances on long shots.
Another Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow, went 12 years without playing baseball and still got himself a spot playing regularly in the Mets’ system when he returned. And Tebow had never established himself as a first-round type baseball talent, as Murray already has. Because NFL teams can keep only 10 taxi-squad guys in addition to their 53-man active rosters, it seems like there’s practically no chance a pro football outfit would take a flyer on a guy who’d just spent 12 years focused on baseball.
In other words: For Murray, pursuing football does not necessarily mean giving up on his baseball dreams, and the reverse is not necessarily true. Guys like Josh Booty, Brandon Weeden and Chris Weinke returned to football after flaming out in the minors, but all three still had NCAA eligibility when they did and were able to hone their skills at the college level.
If Murray chooses the NFL, stinks, and walks away after three years with that $7.7 million in hand, all 30 MLB teams would undoubtedly be thrilled to give him a chance to prove himself in baseball. It’d delay his big-league debut and cost him some development time, but examples abound of guys who spent years away from baseball and returned with success. Heck, Josh Hamilton missed almost all of four full seasons from 2003-2006 while battling addiction, returned in 2007 and made five straight All-Star teams from 2008-2012.
Demonstrating first-round talent in college baseball alone likely bought Murray a decade’s worth of chances to prove himself as a ballplayer. The fame that comes with winning the Heisman — and the associated minor-league attendance boosts — probably extends that window another few years.
Basically, if Kyler Murray chooses football, avoids debilitating injury, and at any point between now and when he turns 40 decides he wants to give it a go on the baseball diamond, some MLB team will let him try.
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