Ravens’ pick Hayden Hurst had to flame out of pro baseball before becoming a 1st-round tight end

At 24 years old, tight end Hayden Hurst was the oldest player selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. There’s a good reason for that — he spent a year flaming out of baseball’s minor leagues before finding his niche in the SEC.

Hurst signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates directly out of high school as a 17th round pick in 2014, eschewing college behind a low-90s fastball and a wealth of potential. He spent one season in the franchise’s farm league, appearing in 15 games in 2014 for the Gulf Coast League Pirates. It went...poorly.

Hurst had control issues rivaled only by a Penal League Ricky Vaughn, leading to a lone distastrous performance as a pro; six batters faced, five walks, and one out. Here’s what that kind of wildness looked like:

Juuuuuust a bit inside.

Things were better at the plate after he was converted to first base, but still not great. Hurst batted .245 in 53 at-bats in low-A ball, but also struck out an impressive 26 times. It was clear baseball wasn’t going to be a career option based on his lone year in the minors -- but pitching coach Scott Elarton had an idea: football.

Hurst hadn’t played on the gridiron in years, but his 4.5-second 40 speed and 6’6 frame made him an intriguing addition as a walk-on for the South Carolina Gamecocks. He had only eight catches as a 21-year-old freshman, but exploded in his sophomore and junior seasons to become an All-SEC selection. After three years of college play, he landed with the receiver-needy Ravens in the first round of the draft.

It was a long and broken path, but Hurst rebounded from one of the lowest lows minor league baseball could have dreamed up to become one of the most sought-after prospects in the NFL. Now he just has to fend off the yips that tormented him on the mound to continue his meteoric rise on the football field.