What Position Did Deion Sanders Play In Baseball?
Contents
Deion Sanders is best known for his time in the NFL, but he also played Major League Baseball. What position did he play?
Early Life
Deion Luwynn Sanders, nicknamed “Prime Time” and “Neon Deion”, is a former American football and baseball player who served as a cornerback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football at Florida State University, where he was a two-time consensus All-American in football and baseball. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft with the fifth overall pick, making him the highest-drafted cornerback in NFL history at that time.
Deion’s family
Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr. (/ˈdiːən/; born August 9, 1967), nicknamed “Prime Time” and “Neon Deion”, is a former American football and baseball player who works as an analyst for CBS Sports and the NFL Network. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6th round of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft, played outfield in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, and the Texas Rangers, and also played cornerback in National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and the Baltimore Ravens. Sanders won two Super Bowl titles with the Cowboys over two seasons (XXVII & XXVIII).
Sanders was born in Fort Myers, Florida. He attended North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, and was a letterman and star in both baseball and football. In baseball, he hit .311 with 16 home runs his senior year. In football he ran for 1120 yards with 21 TDs his senior year. He also played basketball where he averaged 15 PPG.
In 1985 Sanders was drafted by Kansas City Royals as a 6th round pick out of Florida State University.
Deion’s schools
Sanders was born in Fort Myers, Florida. He attended North Fort Myers High School, where he played high school football, baseball, and ran track. He was offered a scholarship to play football at Florida State University. He also played baseball there, but he planned to focus on football only after being drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the sixth round of the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.
College
Sanders was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6th round of the 1987 MLB Draft. He played outfield for most of his career. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, he became the only player in MLB history to hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week.
Deion’s college career
Deion Sanders played both baseball and football at Florida State University from 1986-1988. In his junior year, he hit .331 with 10 home runs and stole 26 bases, helping lead the Seminoles to the College World Series. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1988 MLB draft, but opted to continue his football career.
The NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft, also called the Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event in which the 327 eligible players for the upcoming NFL season are selected by 32 NFL teams. The draft order is determined by each team’s record in the previous season, with the worst team picking first and the best team picking last (subject to any trades made by teams). The draft order does not take into account playoff performances, nor does it reverse draft order or incomplete seasons.
The NFL
Deion Sanders is a former American football and baseball player who played in both the NFL and MLB. He is considered one of the best athletes to ever play both sports. He played football as a cornerback and baseball as an outfielder.
Deion’s NFL career
Deion Sanders is a former American football and baseball player who is currently a sports analyst. He played 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and 9 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Sanders is considered one of the best cornerbacks to ever play in the NFL, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Sanders played football for Florida State University, where he was a two-time consensus All-American. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He played for the Falcons for five seasons, before signing with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent in 1994. After one season with the 49ers, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys, where he spent four seasons. He then returned to the Falcons for his final season in 1999.
In his NFL career, Sanders intercepted 52 passes for 621 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also had 11 fumble recoveries, 4 forced fumbles, 153 tackles and 2 sacks. He was named to 8 Pro Bowls and was voted Defensive Player of the Year in 1994.
In baseball, Sanders was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6th round of the 1985 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 1989. He also played for the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds before returning to play football full-time. In his baseball career, Sanders batted .263 with 24 home runs and 98 RBIs.
Deion’s Super Bowl wins
In his career, Deion Sanders played in two Super Bowls, winning both of them. He was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXIX, which was the San Francisco 49ers’ win over the San Diego Chargers. In that game, he had akey interception and a fumble recovery. In Super Bowl XXX, he was a part of the Dallas Cowboys team that won against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Baseball
Deion Sanders is famously known for playing two professional sports, baseball and football. However, many people do not know that he played both of them at the same time! In 1989, Sanders played for the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Falcons. He is the only person to ever play in both a World Series and a Super Bowl.
Deion’s baseball career
Deion Sanders is mostly known for his career in the NFL, but he also had a brief stint in Major League Baseball. He played for the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, and the Cincinnati Reds. He was primarily a center fielder and an occasional shortstop. In his career, he hit .264 with 5 home runs, 36 RBIs, and stolen bases.
Deion’s World Series win
In October of 1992, Sanders became the only player to ever hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week. That same year, he helped lead the Atlanta Braves to a World Series win – making him the only person to ever win both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
Later Life
After his NFL career, Sanders dabbled in baseball again, playing nine games for the Cincinnati Reds in 1997. In those nine games, he hit .533/.563/1.000 with one home run, one double, one stolen base, and four runs scored. The Reds released Sanders on June 9, and he never played professional baseball again.
Deion’s post-retirement career
After his retirement from the NFL, Deion Sanders pursued a career in Major League Baseball, playing for the Atlanta Braves, the San Francisco Giants, and the Cincinnati Reds. He also dabbled in acting, appearing in the movies “The Longest Yard” and “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.” Sanders is now a broadcaster for CBS Sports.
Deion’s family life
Deion’s family life was not always perfect.
In high school, he had a part-time job at a local fast-food restaurant. After he lost that job, he began to steal cars. He was caught and sent to a juvenile detention center, where he remained for about six months. When he was released, he moved in with his father, who helped him get his life back on track. Sanders went on to play football and baseball at Florida State University, where he earned a degree in criminology.