MLB Draft First-Round Selections: From Hoop Dreams to Field of Dreams

Chicago White Sox lefthanded reliever Matt Thornton averaged 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game for Grand Valley State (MI) from 1995-96 through 1997-98, shooting 54.7% from the floor his last two seasons before becoming a first-round draft choice by the Seattle Mariners. On the eve of this year's selections, following is an alphabetical list including Thornton among the major leaguers who were first-round choices in the amateur baseball draft after playing varsity college basketball:

First-Round Choice Position College(s) MLB Team Selector Pick Overall Year
Bill Almon SS Brown San Diego Padres 1st 1974
Andy Benes RHP Evansville San Diego Padres 1st 1988
Tony Clark 1B Arizona/San Diego State Detroit Tigers 2nd 1990
Cameron Drew OF New Haven CT Houston Astros 12th 1985
Atlee Hammaker LHP East Tennessee State Kansas City Royals 21st 1979
Rich Hand RHP Puget Sound WA Cleveland Indians 1st 1969***
Jim Lyttle OF Florida State New York Yankees 10th 1966
Ben McDonald RHP Louisiana State Baltimore Orioles 1st 1989
Dennis Rasmussen LHP Creighton California Angels 17th 1980
Jeff Shaw RHP Rio Grande OH Cleveland Indians 1st 1986**
*Mike Stenhouse OF-1B Harvard Oakland Athletics 26th 1979**
Matt Thornton LHP Grand Valley State MI Seattle Mariners 22nd 1998
Dave Winfield OF Minnesota San Diego Padres 4th 1973

*Did not sign that year.
**January draft.
***Secondary phase.
NOTE: 1B-OF Rick Leach (13th pick in 1979 by Detroit Tigers) was a JV player for Michigan and OF Ken Singleton (3rd selection in 1967 by New York Mets) was a freshman player for Hofstra.