Here are 19 prospects who also starred on the basketball court
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Crossing over from basketball to baseball can be quite difficult -- just look at Michael Jordan and his .556 OPS at Double-A.
Over the years, 12 athletes have played in both Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association, including four who did so in overlapping seasons. The most recent dual-sport player was Mark Hendrickson, a 6-foot-9 left-handed pitcher from 2002-11 with the Blue Jays, Devil Rays, Dodgers, Marlins and Orioles who also served as a power forward from 1996-2000 for the 76ers, Kings, Nets and Cavaliers.
Of course, shooting, dribbling and boxing out don't come in handy in baseball, but there are plenty of overlapping skills between the sports. Many great pitching prospects are built like basketball players: tall, lean, athletic and flexible with a high waist and long arms. Position players can use speed on the bases and in the field -- and just ask the Athletics' Denzel Clarke how useful vertical leaps can be in outfield defense.
While there aren't any notable basketball players from the college ranks now in professional baseball -- like there are in football -- there are many top prospects who starred on the court in high school before fully committing to the national pastime. Here's a closer look at 19 of these multisport athletes, listed alphabetically:
Jay Allen II, OF, Reds
Also a star dual-threat quarterback for John Carroll, a Catholic high school in Fort Pierce, Florida, the 6-foot-2 dynamo was the lead guard on the basketball team, averaging a team-high 15.5 points and 3.4 assists while adding 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game as a senior. In closing out his career with a pair of 30-point games, Allen became the school's only 1,000-point scorer -- and was well known for his scrappy, selfless play in leading the Rams in charges drawn -- before the Reds drafted him 30th overall in 2021.
Aiva Arquette, SS, Marlins (MLB No. 47)
Now known for his impressive defense as one of the tallest shortstops in the Minors, Arquette used his 6-foot-4 frame to great effect on the court at Saint Louis School in Honolulu, where he earned Hawaii's Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year honors in 2021-22. Playing forward, he averaged 17.1 points, nine rebounds, two assists and three steals per game while leading the Crusaders to their first state championship in nearly four decades.
AJ Blubaugh, RHP, Astros (HOU No. 13)
Blubaugh was the starting point guard for Clear Fork High School in Ohio as a 5-foot-3 freshman and later moved to the post after he grew another foot. He earned All-Northwest District honors after averaging 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a senior. Tongue in cheek, he once compared his game to a high school version of "the smallest NBA guy you can think of and Nikola Jokić."
Cooper Bowman, 2B, Athletics
A 6-foot guard, Bowman earned second-team Class AA All-State honors at Stevens High School in Rapid City, South Dakota, after he led the Raiders with 12.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game his senior year. Speedy on the court and in the infield, the 2021 fourth-rounder credits playing multiple sports in high school for his athletic success since it taught him about different types of competition.
Cole Carrigg, OF/SS, Rockies (COL No. 3)
It should come as no surprise that the versatile prospect who's a switch-hitter and can play all eight defensive positions on the baseball field had a well-rounded basketball game too. Playing point guard and forward, he earned first-team all-conference honors while finishing second for Turlock (Calif.) High School in scoring (15.3 ppg) and rebounding (4.8 rpg) and leading the team in steals (1.8).
James Ellwanger, RHP, Twins (MIN No. 20)
Before fully committing to pitching, Ellwanger used his 6-foot-4 size well on the court, where he averaged just under 10 points per game with six rebounds and a block to earn second-team all-district honors at Magnolia (Texas) West High School. Coaches fondly remember his athleticism and tenacity, especially during a game-changing play in which he caught a pass just past midcourt, took two dribbles and dunked over a defender.
Nick Frasso, RHP, Dodgers
Frasso sees plenty of similarities between basketball and baseball, especially in the 1-on-1 matchups between ballhandler vs. defender and pitcher vs. batter. The athletic 6-foot-5 big man was dangerous on the court, averaging 14.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game on 54 percent shooting for Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Estates, California, to earn Bay League Most Outstanding Player accolades. The 2020 fourth-rounder is also a mean dunker (his favorite is a between-the-legs jam).
Skylar Hales, RHP, Cardinals
When the Rangers selected the 6-foot-4 Hales in the fourth round of the 2023 Draft, they landed a player with strong athletic genes as his father, Bradley, swam for UCLA. Before pitching at Santa Clara, the younger Hales also was an all-league big man for Reno (Nevada) High School, where he was a team captain his senior year and averaged a team-best 12.5 points and 5.9 rebounds on 46 percent shooting per game.
Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Athletics (ATH No. 13)
Hoglund studied at Dayspring Academy but played sports for Fivay High School just outside of Tampa, Florida, where he hit, pitched and starred on the court. Playing forward at 6-foot-4, he led the Falcons with 11.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while adding 10.9 points and 2.6 assists per game.
Joe Mack, C, Marlins (MLB No. 62)
Mack is quite athletic for a catcher, not surprising considering he also played basketball and volleyball in school. He was a three-year starter for Williamsville East High School in East Amherst, New York, and became a team captain as a senior, when he averaged a double-double a game. Despite only being 6 feet tall, he used his strength and high energy to guard players much bigger than him and often outrebounded those much larger opponents.
Walker Martin, SS, Giants
Martin won three state titles as a quarterback for Eaton (Colo.) High School in addition to his baseball exploits. He also stood out for three seasons on the basketball court, where coaches compared his smart, physical play to a '90s pro. A 6-foot-1 guard, he averaged more than 14 points a game his sophomore and junior seasons, topping out with a team-leading 14.6 points and 8.4 rebounds to go with 2.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game in his final season.
Karson Milbrandt, RHP, Marlins (MIA No. 22)
Milbrandt’s large hands enable him to spin the baseball well and they also made for an excellent flag football receiver and an all-district basketball player. Playing for Liberty (Mo.) High School, he was a heady defender whom the Blue Jays used to eliminate top scorers on the other team. He was a threat to score from the three-point line (particularly the corners) or at the basket, going on to average 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game his senior season.
Braden Nett, RHP, Athletics (ATH No. 4)
Before Nett used his 6-foot-3 frame solely on the mound, he was also a three-year starter and All-District basketball player at Troy Buchanan High School, just outside of St. Louis. During his senior season, he led the Trojans in rebounds (4.4) and steals (1.9), while finishing second with 11.5 points per game as a small forward. His athleticism made him particularly dangerous at the rim, and he was tasked with the toughest defensive assignments.
Sal Stewart, INF, Reds (MLB No. 22)
The son of a basketball coach, Stewart carried the same hard-nose competitive style on the court that he does on the diamond. Coaches called him a "dog" for his tough defense and trash talk, and despite being a 6-foot-1 guard, he was tasked with defending the best player on the other team, no matter the size. He was a starter all three years on the team and averaged 12 points on 42 percent shooting from the three-point arc in his final season.
Zach Swanson, RHP, Tigers
Swanson was the top-ranked prep prospect out of Washington in the 2024 Draft, but he was even more productive as a shooting guard. The 6-foot-3 standout totaled 2,675 points at Toutle Lake High School, making him the Evergreen State's No. 4 all-time scorer and tops among any Ducks player. He averaged 23.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists his senior year and topped out at 26.1 points per game as a sophomore.
Nelly Taylor, OF, Red Sox (BOS No. 14)
Also a Junior Olympian long jumper, Taylor was a defensive hound who earned basketball scholarships to the University of South Florida and University of Tampa before heading to Polk State College in the Sunshine State to play JUCO baseball. In his final two seasons on the court for Clearwater (Florida) High School, the 6-foot-1 wing averaged 11.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game.
A.J. Vukovich, OF, D-backs
Vukovich played on a travel basketball team with future NBA first-round picks Jalen Johnson and Johnny Davis and went on to become a finalist for Wisconsin Mr. Basketball in 2020 after averaging 27.8 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. The 6-foot-5 forward is the all-time scoring leader at East Troy High School and became the 38th player in the Badger State to score 2,000 career points.
TJayy Walton, OF, Phillies (PHI No. 19)
Already dunking when he was in middle school, Walton led Greensville County (Va.) High School in rebounding (11.6) and was second in scoring (12.7) and blocks (3.1) per game as a 6-foot-1 freshman forward. He missed his sophomore season and then transferred to IMG Academy in Florida, where he focused solely on baseball.
Blake Wolters, RHP, Royals (KC No. 18)
Wolters was a force on the court during his sophomore and junior seasons at Mahomet-Seymour (Ill.) High School before stopping to focus on baseball. The 6-foot-4 forward was a team captain his final season, going on to earn first-team All-Area and honorable mention All-State honors after averaging 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He was named to the Bulldogs' Quarter Century Team.