MESA, Ariz. — When Kyler Murray won the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma last season, the Oakland Athletics knew there was a chance he might chose football over baseball.
That’s exactly what happened.
On the day the A’s started spring training workouts, Murray – an outfielder drafted ninth overall by Oakland – said Monday he’ll pursue a career in the NFL.
“I am firmly and fully committing my life and time to becoming an NFL quarterback,” Murray tweeted. “Football has been my love and passion my entire life. I was raised to play QB, and I very much look forward to dedicating 100 percent of myself to being the best QB possible and winning NFL championships. I have started an extensive training program to further prepare myself for upcoming workouts and interviews. I eagerly await the opportunity to continue to prove to NFL decision makers that I am the franchise QB in this draft.”
Murray passed for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns last season as the Sooners landed a second straight College Football Playoff berth. He ran for 1,001 yards and another 12 scores, posting the second-best passer efficiency rating in Bowl Subdivision history.
“We took the best athlete on the board and who we thought was probably the best baseball player on the board, too,” Athletics General Manager David Forst said. “We’ve known all along this was a possibility. We knew he had a great option in the NFL, so we’ve known for a while that there was a chance this was going to happen.”
Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders played both football and baseball, but Jackson was a running back and Sanders a cornerback.
• Oakland added depth at catcher, agreeing to a minor league contract with Nick Hundley.
GIANTS: Free-agent catcher Stephen Vogt, a former Oakland player, is returning to the Bay Area, agreeing to a minor league deal with San Francisco.
Vogt shared the news in a text message ,when he was en route to the club’s spring-training complex in Scottsdale, Arizona. Pitchers and catchers report Wednesday.
Farhan Zaidi, the new Giants president of baseball operations, said Friday he was still seeking depth at the catcher position behind Buster Posey, who is recovering from season-ending right hip surgery.
Vogt, 34, had surgery on his troublesome right shoulder last May and didn’t play for Milwaukee last year. He said he feels great now and is throwing, but throwing from the catcher’s crouch remains a step he must complete.
PIRATES: Garth Brooks, the country music legend, will spend just over a week participating in spring training with Pittsburgh, reporting with the pitchers and catchers.
Brooks, 57, previously has been in the camps of San Diego (1999), New York Mets (2000) and Kansas City (2004). His workouts start Thursday.
• Pittsburgh announced a minor league contract with outfielder Melky Cabrera, who will report to major league spring training.
CUBS: Reliever Brad Brach finalized a one-year contract that guarantees him $3 million and could be worth $8 million over two seasons.
Brach gets a $1.65 million salary this year and could earn $1.35 million in bonuses for days on the active major league roster: $350,000 for one, and $500,000 each for 120 and 150.
Chicago has a $5 million team option for 2020. If the Cubs decline, Brach has a $1.35 million player option with a $100,000 buyout.
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