What Baseball Team Signed Kyler Murray?

What Baseball Team Signed Kyler Murray?

What Baseball Team Signed Kyler Murray?

Photo by AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Kyler Murray is a highly diverse athlete who plays football and baseball. Murray began to showcase his top-tier talent early in life. He was born on August 7, 1997, and raised in Bedford, Texas. He played quarterback at Allen High School, where he gained national attention for leading his team to a state championship and being the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2014.

Football and Baseball Achievements

Murray went on to play football collegiately at the University of Oklahoma. He transferred from Texas A&M and was the starting quarterback for the Sooners in 2018. That season, he threw for 4,361 yards and a whopping 42 touchdowns to guide his Sooners into the College Football Playoff (CFP) and on route to winning college football's most prestigious individual award, The Heisman Trophy. This award further cemented him as a top prospect for the 2019 NFL Draft.

Murray was also in a tremendous baseball team. The Oakland Athletics purchased his draft rights and selected him ninth overall in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft. You could see his skills on the baseball field in high school and college, as he was an excellent batter and an excellent outfielder. Fast-forward and Murray had developed into one of the game's top prospects when the A's signed him to an over-slot deal, hoping he could make it up. 

Decision to Pursue the NFL

While his future may be in baseball, Murray has opted to stick with football. A combination of instant financial rewards and the seductive quality that often accompanies professional football played a major part in this decision. After winning a Heisman Trophy, Murray then became the number one pick in the 2019 NFL draft. By doing this, he would owe the A's a portion of his signing bonus, proving how much more football was further ahead for him than baseball.

Kyler Murray's Baseball Team

Despite being selected and signing with the Oakland Athletics, Kyler Murray can still be taken in that year's NFL Draft. The Oakland A's understood his two-sport value, making him a high selection in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Contact Details

After going ninth overall, he signed a contract with a $4.66 million signing bonus. It is our understanding from his camp that this contract was designed for him to be able to attend college and play one more year of football before making the final decision on going pro. The A's were counting on big things from Murray and saw him as a future anchor to the lineup. They even presented him with a restructured deal with $14 million guarantees to keep him from risking entering the NFL Draft and bypassing baseball altogether. It was an offer that included him being added to their 40-man roster, showing how high they are on his future as a player.

Being Drafted and Signed by the Oakland Athletics

Physical Tools: Murray was a top prospect because of his incredible athleticism and skills. Due to his speed on contact and good arm strength, he also profiles up the middle and maybe even in the OF somewhere.

Market Strategy: Murray's initial off-road path made him a particularly interesting selection, as he could have been of tremendous value to the team had he reached his potential as an MLB player.

Development Plans: The A's intended to sign Murray and then send him to the minors, where he likely would have opened at high A and ventured upward toward the big leagues. They thought his college football experience would make it easier for him to adjust to life in the professional baseball ranks.

Impact on His Career

But Murray's decision to play football is already paying off. He was drafted #1 overall by the Arizona Cardinals and signed a four-year, $35 million contract with a $23M guaranteed signing bonus. The fact that he has money in the bank and a job waiting for him as an NFL quarterback flying all perfectly aligned with his successful career. He has made a name for himself in the league and will be heading to his first Pro Bowl, proving he belongs with some of the best out there.

Impact on Major League Baseball

The A's rumor in January and Kyler Murray choosing football over baseball raises questions about the relationship between the NFL and MLB. It exemplifies just some of the struggles dual-sport athletes face, such as if they could have been siphoned in a single direction, particularly when one sport has immediate financial incentive and opportunity outweighing the potential long-term value of another. It may impact how teams see drafting multi-sport athletes in the future and deter them from investing heavily in a player who could opt out to pursue another sport.

Future Prospects

The future remains bright for Kyler Murray in the NFL. His speed, agility, and passing ability in his position make him very important to the Cardinals. But he has continued to leave open the possibility of a baseball return in the future. 

Kyler Murray's rise from premier baseball prospect to the top pick in the NFL Draft illustrates just that. His choice to sign with the Oakland Athletics and then pick football after not only mapped his career but helped blur lines between two seemingly divergent professional sports. The baseball confusion might end up being one of the most interesting chapters in his athletic story, which should continue to thrive for years and years ahead with how well he's doing in the NFL.


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