Oakland Athletics
Heyman | Kyler Murray signs deal with A’s allowing him to play football
Kyler Murray, the two-sport sensation ho was the No. 9 pick overall, has struck a deal with the Oakland A’s that will guarantee him close to $5 million and allow him to play quarterback at the University of Oklahoma the next school year.
Murray, who also played outfield at Oklahoma, is playing football to honor his commitment to the staff at OU, but by the terms of this deal it seems that his heart appears to be on the baseball field long-term. Murray has been seen as the heir apparent to Hesiman Trophy-winning QB Baker Mayfield, and would seem to be the favorite to start at QB for OU — though the staff there is thought to understand he’s viewing baseball as his future sport.
Murray was seen as about the best all-around athlete in the draft, and in the words of one scout, a “Rickey Henderson type.”
The slot value at No. 9 is $4.7 million.
Murray is seen as a great power-speed combination player, as he reached double-digits in both home runs and stolen bases for OU while manning center field for the first time. He was a shortstop in high school.
As a football player, he led Allen (Texas) High School to three straight state championships. Murray’s uncle Calvin Murray was a major-league outfielder.
Jon Heyman is an MLB Insider for the FRS Sports Network, the home for his breaking news, information and his weekly Inside Baseball column on FRS Baseball. Heyman also has been an insider at MLB Network since the channel launched in 2009. Heyman previously worked for CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, Newsday in New York and Sporting News, among other outlets. Heyman is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. The Santa Fe, New Mexico native grew up in Cedarhurst, New York, on Long Island.
- Associate Counsel - Oakland Athletics June 13, 2018
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