Wilson was also a very good college baseball player at NC State and was even drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 41st round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of high school. He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 4th round of the 2010 MLB Draft. Wilson, a second baseman, has spent some time playing in minor league baseball circuits over several summers. He most recently was acquired by the Texas Rangers and spent some time in training camp with the team the last two years.
Wilson has always said he would love to be a two-sport star. He said he believes he could pull off the rare feat of playing two sports at the highest level – something few others have accomplished. Bo Jackson is often considered one of the best athletes to ever play any sport, and he is the only player to be an all star in two sports, as he was an All-Star outfielder for the Kansas City Royals and a Pro Bowl running back for the Oakland Raiders. He played four years of pro football after finishing up his baseball seasons, before he retired from football to focus on baseball.
Deion Sanders, like Jackson, played both football and baseball. He is the only man to hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week and the only man to make both a World Series and a Super Bowl.
While Jackson and Sanders had success in playing both of their sports, Wilson should be cautious in pursuing the same. Both Jackson and Sanders were good players in football and baseball, able to contribute at high levels. Meanwhile, in his limited minor league baseball action, Wilson hasn’t really produced at a major league level.
Wilson’s versatility is something to be admired, as it takes a special type of athlete to be able to play two sports at the highest level. However, the best move for him would be to stick with football and not risk getting hurt playing baseball. He’s too big a football star to gamble his career.
