Pat Connaughton
Patrick Bergin Connaughton
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 5", Weight 205 lb.
- School University of Notre Dame
- High School St. John's Preparatory School (Danvers)
- Born January 6, 1993 in Arlington, MA USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Pitcher Pat Connaughton was a three-sport star in high school near Boston, MA. As a baseball player, he was drafted in the 38th round in the 2011 amateur draft by the San Diego Padres; he was also offered a scholarship to the University of Notre Dame to play basketball, and was the quarterback on the football team. Had he not been expected to head to college, he would likely have been a late first round of second-round choice in baseball. He accepted the college offer, then was drafted again, this time in the 4th round, by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2014 amateur draft. This time, he signed, because he could continue to play college basketball in the off-season.
He made his professional baseball debut with the Aberdeen IronBirds of the New York-Penn League, making 6 appearances including 4 starts in 2014. He went 0-1, 2.51, pitching 14 1/3 innings. After the season, he was named the Orioles' 9th-best prospect by mlb.com.
In basketball, he was a starting power forward for Notre Dame, and led the team in blocked shots and three-point shooting as he led his team to the NCAA Tournament in 2015. His objective was to play in both Major League Baseball and the NBA, something only 12 men had ever achieved. However, after he was drafted 31st overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2015 NBA draft and then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, his new basketball team insisted that he drop baseball to concentrate on the hoops. Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey explained that he still needed work to be ready for the NBA, and that any time spent on the baseball diamond would detract him from that objective. He added that he could think of resuming his baseball career once he had proved he belonged in the NBA.
Further Reading[edit]
- Kelly Dwyer: "Portland's GM says Pat Connaughton's hoped-for baseball career is 'not happening'", Ball Don't Lie, yahoo.com, August 10, 2015. [1]
- Tracy Ringolsby: "Connaughton's basketball link hardly madness: O's prospect doubles as Notre Dame guard/forward", mlb.com, March 14, 2015. [2]
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