FEB. 24: Commings received the same $100K signing bonus that Tebow did upon signing his minor league pact with the Mets, tweets Rosenthal.
FEB. 23: The Braves have agreed to sign former NFL defensive back Sanders Commings to a minor league contract, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Rosenthal wrote earlier this month that the former Kansas City Chiefs and University of Georgia corner had interest in pursuing a baseball career as an outfielder.
Commings, who will turn 27 in early March, was a fifth-round pick by the Chiefs back in 2013, though he appeared in just two games with Kansas City in his brief NFL career. He’s no stranger to baseball, having played high school ball in Augusta, Ga., as Rosenthal noted. The Diamondbacks actually drafted Commings in the 37th round back in 2008, but he opted instead to attend Georgia and ultimately pursued a career in football.
Commings is being represented by agent Charles Hairston, the cousin of former Major Leaguers Jerry Hairston Jr. and Scott Hairston. Jerry Hairston lauded Commings’ athleticism and natural baseball acumen when speaking to Rosenthal, telling him that he believes Commings would already be in the Majors had he stuck with baseball for his whole career. Certainly, that’s a bold statement and one that should be taken with a grain of salt from someone who clearly has a vested interest in selling the abilities of the player in question — the Starling Marte comp used by Hairston seems particularly egregious — but it’s also unlikely that Hairston would’ve taken the time to work with a talent that he did not believe had a potential future in the game.
Jerry Hairston and Commings have been working out together five times per week, Rosenthal noted in his column, and Hairston enlisted Class-A Rangers right-hander Collin Wiles to throw to him this winter. Wiles, the former No. 53 pick in the draft (2012), said that he’s been impressed by Commings’ work at the plate as well.
It’s not yet clear exactly where Commings will begin his minor league career. While the odds are certainly stacked against him, and he’ll inevitably draw comparisons to former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, who is pursuing a baseball career with the Mets, there’s little harm in the big picture for the Braves to roll the dice on Commings’ athleticism.
Sweeeet 10x better than tebow
Agreed. Plus worst case scenario, the Braves won’t get as much media coverage if he doesn’t make it to the majors.
Cant believe we just signed the next Dion Sanders who is also just as good as Starlin Marte
i see what you did there
Speaking of Tebow, is he in the Mets camp?
Nah
Saw video of his swing. Super long, super open, very amateur looking.
Tebow or this guy? I saw some video of Tebow and he couldn’t even hit fastballs, let alone anything with break. I don’t imagine he’ll show up in Mets camp; probably will be too busy with his real job. But the Mets got what they needed out of Tebow – they sold a ton of jerseys in a year in which they were exempt from MLB’s jersey profit-sharing because of the Madoff scandal.
This dude.
Good he’s black
Ha
This Wiles kid strikes out less than 6 an inning. No wonder Cummings handled himself well.
im suprised this doesnt happen more switching sports
If he’s striking out 6 an inning this kid is going from A ball straight to the Hall of Fame!
notice he said less than.. he only like striking out like 5.6 and inning… the catcher drop the ball a lot … but that bites well for this commings kid
I’m sorry, but can you please translate what it is that you just attempted to say?
If Wiles is striking out 6 an inning this kid is going from A ball straight to the Hall of Fame!
You mean per 9 right? There’s only 3 outs an inning.
Whatever happen to Scott harirston?
Perhaps he retired?
Played against him in high school guy could flat out rake and he has unbelievable Athleticism. Could see him making a good run. At the least with his speed be a solid defensive replacement
Couldn’t hurt us
On every single post there is at least one person who has played against the guy in the post.
6′ 233lbs and ran a 4.41 fyd at the combine. Just couldn’t stay healthy at Georgia I remember.
It is telling about how difficult baseball is that two-sport guys rarely succeed at it. Brian Jordan was pretty good, Dion Sanders wasn’t anything special. The Padres drafted a guy named Donovan Tate who flamed out spectacularly. Chris Young the pitcher has had a decent career. Will Venable had a couple decent seasons. Bo Jackson might have been a legitimately great baseball player if he hadn’t suffered his traumatic hip injury. Frank Thomas gave up football after his freshman year in college to concentrate on baseball. Jim Thorpe was a terrific athlete of course but not much of a baseball player. Josh Booty and Drew Henson were terrible. I think Chad Hutchinson, onetime Pirates prospect, was also a two-way player. Mark Hendrickson was never much of a pitcher.
Tebow is obviously not going to succeed. He doesn’t have the dedication to the sport and he’s 30. Baseball takes more than just athleticism.
Bo did know baseball. Still remember watching highlights of him running up the outfield wall a few times making catches. You are right about Bo. He was special. If he had been only a baseball player and kept his health, we would be talking about a Hall of Famer now..
Leon Sandcastle?
Saying that he would have been in the Majors if he stayed in baseball isn’t as bold a statement as it is an ignorant one. Gotta question the agent’s knowledge of the game on that one… smh…
Maybe someone is jealous cause they couldn’t make it out of little leagues and never played against high end talent