[KootenayFlamesFan]

Before the 2012 baseball draft, Mississippi outfielder Anthony Alford was widely regarded as a first-round talent. But he was also a standout high-school quarterback who made it clear football was his priority.

The Toronto Blue Jays drafted the speedy Alford in the third round anyway, agreed to let him play both sports and signed him for US$750,000 in the hope that one day he would commit to baseball.

A few days ago, he did. After four games as a sophomore backup safety at the University of Mississippi, he called Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos and said he had decided to give up football.

“For the short time he was [in Lansing], the reports we were getting from the staff said they were pretty excited about him,” Anthopoulos said.

Staff reports compared Alford to Rondell White, who spent 15 years in the majors, the first eight with Montreal.

“I don’t want to raise expectations for him,” Anthopoulos said. “We’re just glad to have him. We think he’s an outstanding prospect. It’ll be interesting to see him for a full season now and see how he’ll progress.”

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/...p-on-baseball/