Miami: Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson struck out swinging for the New York Yankees in a Major League Baseball pre-season game on Friday on his first professional plate appearance since 2011.
NFL Seattle Seahawks star Wilson, who was also considered a solid baseball prospect in his college days, had not swung a bat competitively since June 2011 in a minor-league stint with the Asheville Tourists, a development club for the Colorado Rockies.
In 2012, Wilson dropped baseball to pursue an NFL career and in just his second season won a Super Bowl crown with the Seahawks. Seattle nearly repeated as champion before a last-minute loss to New England in the 2015 Super Bowl.
But Wilson has dabbled in baseball even as he has known NFL success, going to spring training with the Texas Rangers twice before getting a chance with the Yankees.
The difference on Friday was that he was given a chance to test himself with bat in hand for the Yankees against the Atlanta Braves in a pre-season contest at Tampa, Florida, according to the club’s website.
Nearly seven years after grounding into a double play against the Rome (Georgia) Braves, Wilson took the count to 2-balls and 2-strikes against Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried before striking out swinging on a 93-mph fastball.
Wilson had worked out with the Yankees since Monday, taking fielding drills and batting practice. He is expected to depart this weekend.
Wilson said he had been in contact with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider about the possibility of appearing for the Yankees.
“We’re communicating the whole time,” Wilson said. “The reality is, I’ve always been working out, always been training. They know that. That’s part of my game. I’m definitely not sitting on the couch.”
