MLB Draft Day 3: Toledo QB Terrance Owens Was Drafted (And Doesn't Play NCAA Baseball)

A lucky set of 13 players were taken in the third round day of the MLB Draft. End of stor— OH EXCEPT ONE OF THEM DOESN'T PLAY BASEBALL. Well, not NCAA ball at least. Terrance Owens was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 40th and final round, 1,215th overall, as a left-handed pitcher.

Initially I was scanning through all the names, saw this and thought, oh, that's funny, there's a Toledo quarterback with that very same na— WHAAAAA?

Is he a two-sport athlete for the Rockets? You'd think I would've heard that on one of the ESPN telecasts. I checked the Toledo baseball roster. He does not play college baseball. But I know that these late rounds in the draft are used for ancillary purposes, such as a hat tip to a ballplayer's son so they can say he also was drafted by a big league team There are other reasons: for example last year the Rangers drafted a college player who had been paralyzed in an accident during a game, as a token gesture for his hard work and determination to walk again.

So why take Owens, who hasn't pitched in organized ball since presumably high school?

I can't find a concrete reason, but perhaps it was another one of those token gratitudes in the Padres organization. Maybe somebody knows him and remembers him from high school. Perhaps a scout saw him in high school and still believes he has potential as a pitcher. Indeed he arguably may have the strongest arm of any MAC quarterback, and he's left handed. Those are things baseball teams like.

I am 99.9 percent sure Owens isn't going to sign with the Padres this year. Low-round draft picks usually have better options, sports or otherwise, than a paltry sum of money to chase a marginal dream. Owens has better prospects as a quarterback for the cardiac-attacking Rockets this year as a junior.

Although! Is Owens going to be an NFL quarterback? I doubt it because other than the arm strength I don't think his other skills match up with others. I could be wrong, though. It's happened before.

Therefore, being drafted by an MLB team simply might put that kernel of thought in his head that, hey, I could pick up the baseball again and try this if the NFL doesn't come calling.

A two-sport athlete for the Padres? Hey, it worked out for another former Padres draft pick, Dave Winfield.

Addendum: The alert @JRayborn24 pointed out that the Red Sox drafted Austin Davis, a quarterback from Southern Miss, in the 31st round as a pitcher, and he didn't play NCAA baseball either. His bio says he played high school ball and was all-state in baseball. The difference here is Davis is a senior, but also a member of the St. Louis Rams who signed him as an undrafted free agent. So many choices, but good ones for him!

Anyways. The full slate of third round day picks in the MLB Draft:

16th round (494 overall) - Toledo RHP Mike Hamann to the Chiago Cubs
19th round (607 overall) - Central Michigan LHP Dietrich Enns to the New York Yankees
20th round (609 overall) - Kent State LHP Ryan Clark to the Houston Astros
21st round (662 overall) - Central Michigan RHP Jon Weaver to the Tampa Bay Rays
23rd round (708 overall) - Akron RHP Andrew Brown to the Colorado Rockies
26th round (796 overall) - Kent State SS Jimmy Rider to the Pittsburgh Pirates
27th round (846 overall) - Kent State RHP Ryan Bores to the Texas Rangers
28th round (866 overall) - Northern Illinois LHP Jake Hermsen to the L.A. Dodgers
33rd round (1007 overall) - Eastern Michigan RHP Steve Weber to the Miami Marlins
34th round (1056 overall) - Kent State C David Lyon to the Texas Rangers
35th round (1073 overall) - Kent State SS Nick Hamilton to the Cleveland Indians
40th round (1215 overall) - Toledo LHP Terrance Owens to the San Diego Padres
40th round (1234 overall) - Central Michigan LHP Ryan Longstreth to the Detroit Tigers