The Texas Rangers selected Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson during Thursday’s Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s Jeff Wilson broke the news on Twitter:
#Rangers take 2b Russell Wilson from Colorado’s Single A roster in Triple A portion of Rule 5 draft.
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) December 12, 2013
A.J. Preller, assistant general manager of the Texas Rangers, described to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram the organization’s reasoning behind drafting Wilson, even though he’s a major player in the NFL.
From a baseball standpoint, we feel like if he ever decided he wanted to come back to play again that he’d be a guy we’d want in our system. The biggest thing that intrigued us on Russell from afar is the makeup, the way he goes about his business, the professionalism, the competitor, the message we try to preach throughout our organization, for us to at least have that as part of our organization.
At the end of the day, he obviously has a lot bigger things that he’s working on right now, and we don’t want to interrupt that aspect of it. But if at some point down the road he decides he wants to do baseball again, we decided it would be a positive to have him with us.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Jeff Wilson added:
The Russell Wilson the #Rangers took in Rule 5 is the Russell Wilson, star QB.
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) December 12, 2013
You wanted headlines from #Rangers at winter meetings? They give you Russell Wilson. #takethat — Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) December 12, 2013
#Rangers haven’t had contact with Russell Wilson, but say work ethic and makeup are examples of what club wants from their minor leaguers. — Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) December 12, 2013
#Rangers spent $12K on Russell Wilson in case a) he decides he wants to explore baseball (realizing it’s a long shot) and b) makeup example.
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) December 12, 2013
Russell Wilson will go on #Rangers‘ minor-league inactive list, which he was on in Colorado’s organization.
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) December 12, 2013
#Rangers GM Jon Daniels spoke to Russell Wilson this morning. “He was excited,” Daniels said. “He wants to come to camp.”
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) December 12, 2013
Jon Daniels said taking Russell Wilson in Rule 5 draft isn’t a PR stunt. #Rangers genuinely want him, his qualities in the organization.
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) December 12, 2013
Before being drafted in to the NFL, Russell Wilson was a hotshot athlete in all sports, including baseball. He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the 2010 draft after showcasing phenomenal skills at the Commonwealth Games in Virginia.
ESPN The Magazine’s Dan Friedell recalls seeing Wilson play in the Commonweath Games before being drafted into the majors:
I first recognized him as a baseball talent at a Virginia event [for high school students] called the Commonwealth Games. They have teams from four regions that play a two-day round robin. He was an unknown player coming into the event, but by the time he came out of the event, everybody was like: Who’s this Russell Wilson guy? So we invited him to the East-West Professional Showcase in North Carolina. That’s when his athleticism was noticed. He became a prospect.
While Wilson played 60 games at second base with the Rookies’ Triple-A club Asheville Tourists, he decided to focus his attention on the NFL in 2012.
Now with the Seattle Seahawks, Russell Wilson has proven himself to be dominant in the NFL. The 25-year-old quarterback is averaging a QB rating of 106.5 for the 2013 season and has led his team to an 11-2 start so far. Although the Seahawks lost the divisional playoffs to the Atlanta Falcons last season, the team is considered the #1 Super Bowl contender this year.
Will Russell Wilson step to the plate anytime soon or will he spend his time on the gridiron? The question has yet to be answered, the young athlete definitely has his options open.
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