Can Kyler Murray Still Play Baseball?
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Kyler Murray was the 9th overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft by the Oakland A’s. He signed a $4.66 million contract, but then decided to play football full-time. After an amazing season with the Oklahoma Sooners, winning the Heisman Trophy, Kyler Murray is now eligible for the NFL draft. But can he still play baseball?
Kyler Murray’s Background
Kyler Murray was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft. He was also a quarterback for the University of Oklahoma, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2018. After Kyler Murray announced that he was going to pursue a career in the NFL, the Oakland Athletics offered him a minor league contract with a $4.66 million signing bonus.
Kyler Murray’s high school career
Kyler Murray was born in Bedford, Texas, on August 7, 1997. He played football and baseball growing up, and was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 36th round of the 2018 MLB draft. He did not sign with the Mariners, instead choosing to attend Oklahoma to play football and baseball.
As a freshman at Oklahoma, Murray made 11 starts as a quarterback and threw for 2,169 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also rushed for 536 yards and eight touchdowns. He was named the Big 12 Conference’s Offensive Freshman of the Year. In baseball, he played center field and hit .296 with 10 home runs in 51 games.
Murray became Oklahoma’s starting quarterback as a sophomore in 2017 after Baker Mayfield graduated to the NFL. He threw for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns with seven interceptions while rushing for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns as he led Oklahoma to a 12-2 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff semifinals. He was named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year, becoming the second player to win both that award and the Baseball America College Player of the Year Award, joining Tim Tebow.
On January 10, 2019, Murray announced that he would declare for the 2019 NFL Draft Slated as a potential first-round pick, Murray decided to fully commit to playing football professionally signing a four-year contract with agents Scott Boras and Erik Burkhardt worth $5 million guaranteed with a fifth-year option on January 15
Kyler Murray’s college career
Kyler Murray was a two-sport athlete in college, playing both football and baseball. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft, but chose to return to football and play for Oklahoma. In his one season as the starting quarterback for the Sooners, he won the Heisman Trophy. Murray then declared himself eligible for the 2019 NFL draft, and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the first overall pick.
Kyler Murray’s Decision to Play Football
Kyler Murray was the 9th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He was also a highly sought after quarterback, and ultimately chose to play football over baseball. Many people are wondering if he made the right decision and if he could still play baseball.
Kyler Murray’s NFL draft projections
Kyler Murray, the two-sport star from Oklahoma, is projected to be a high pick in the 2019 NFL draft. Murray is considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft and could go as high as the first overall pick.
Some scouts have compared Murray to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who is also a dual-threat quarterback. Wilson was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seahawks and has gone on to have a successful career in the NFL.
Murray has until January 15, 2019 to declare for the NFL draft. If he does declare for the draft, he will forfeit his remaining eligibility in baseball.
Kyler Murray’s potential NFL contract
Kyler Murray has declared for the NFL draft, but he has a potential $4.66 million contract with the Oakland Athletics if he opts to play baseball. Murray was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft and signed a minor league contract that included a $1.5 million signing bonus, so he would be forfeiting that money if he decides to play football. He would also be required to pay back $3.16 million of his signing bonus, which was given to him in installments over the past year.
The A’s could choose to keep Murray’s rights and try to negotiate a new contract with him, but it’s unlikely they would be able to convince him to play baseball if he’s already set on playing football. It’s also possible that Oakland could trade Murray’s rights to another team, although it’s unclear what they would get in return.
So what does all this mean for Kyler Murray? It means he has some tough decisions to make, and he’ll need to weigh his options carefully before deciding whether to play football or baseball.
Kyler Murray’s Potential Return to Baseball
Kyler Murray was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, but he still has a potential future in baseball. Murray was a two-sport athlete in college, and he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft. Murray has said that he wants to play both baseball and football, but it’s unclear if that’s still possible.
Kyler Murray’s MLB draft projections
Kyler Murray was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft by the Oakland Athletics. He was also a highly touted quarterback prospect and chose to play football at Oklahoma instead. Murray won the Heisman Trophy in his only season as Oklahoma’s starter and is now expected to be a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
Murray has now declared for the NFL draft, but some are wondering if he could still play baseball. His agent, Scott Boras, has said that Murray is committed to playing football but left the door open for a potential return to baseball.
MLB teams have until May 28 to sign Murray, and it’s possible that a team could give him a big enough contract to entice him to choose baseball over football. It’s also worth noting that Murray would be forfeiting his $4.66 million signing bonus if he doesn’t play baseball, so that could be a factor in his decision.
The A’s have said they are “open-minded” about Murray’s future and are still considering him part of their organization, but it seems unlikely that he will choose baseball at this point.
Kyler Murray’s potential MLB contract
The Oakland A’s selected Kyler Murray with the ninth overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, but he chose to play football at Oklahoma instead. He then became the Sooners’ starting quarterback and won the Heisman Trophy in his only season as a starter. The A’s retained his baseball rights, though, and they could influence his decision this offseason.
Murray is eligible to sign a major league contract with the A’s that would pay him a signing bonus of more than $4 million. If he doesn’t sign that contract, he would instead return to Oklahoma for his senior season of football and enter next year’s NFL draft.
The A’s are reportedly reluctant to give Murray such a large bonus, fearing that he will choose football over baseball. However, if they don’t offer him a competitive contract, he may go back to school and play football next year. Either way, it seems likely that Murray will be playing professional sports next year; it just remains to be seen which one it will be.
Conclusion
Based on Kyler Murray’s contract with the A’s, it seems highly unlikely that he will be able to play baseball again. However, stranger things have happened and Kyler Murray is a very talented athlete. If anyone can find a way to play both sports, it’s probably him.