28-year-old former MLB player commits to Arkansas to play football

A former Milwaukee Brewers prospect is giving new meaning to the phrase “it’s never too late.”

Monte Harrison, a former outfielder who made MLB appearances with the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels, has committed to the University of Arkansas to play football. A spokesperson for the school on Tuesday confirmed to Jackson Fuller of the Fort Smith Southwest Times Record that Harrison will join the Razorbacks as a walk-on.

Harrison is 28-years-old, which is perhaps the most surprising aspect of the story. He was a star wide receiver at Lee Summit High School in Missouri and a four-star football prospect before he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2014 MLB Draft. Harrison verbally committed to Nebraska to play football and baseball but instead decided to sign a contract with the Brewers.

Harrison quickly became one of the top prospects in baseball. He was ranked as high as No. 3 by MLB.com in 2015. Harrison battled injuries early on in his minor-league career but eventually made it to the majors.

In 2018, Harrison was traded to the Miami Marlins as part of the blockbuster Christian Yelich deal. Harrison made his MLB debut in 2020 and played in 32 games for the Marlins that season, batting .170 with a home run and three RBI. He remained with the Marlins until 2022, when he signed a minor-league deal with the Angels.

Harrison wound up playing 50 total MLB games across a combined three seasons with the Marlins and Angels. He also once made headlines for having a confrontation with a teammate.

The odds will obviously be stacked against Harrison as a 28-year-old college football player, but you have to give him credit for trying.