Which player would excel most in another sport? We asked the players

During Spring Training, MLB.com beat writers surveyed their clubhouses, asking players for their opinions on a range of topics. Well over 100 players participated, in exchange for anonymity. In the leadup to Opening Day, MLB.com is publishing a series of stories based on the results of that survey.

Today’s topic: Which MLB player would excel most at another professional sport?

Many of us have wondered what some MLB players might be able to do if playing another pro sport. Whether they have an enormous frame, are incredibly fast or have any other athletic gift that lends itself well across sports, it’s fun to think about.

So we asked MLB players which of their peers they see as most likely to excel in another professional sport. Here’s what they said.

1. Mookie Betts, Dodgers (Primary sport mentioned: Bowling)
Betts is one of the best all-around players in the game … wait, which game are we talking about here? He’s certainly one of the best in baseball, but the takeaway from our players survey is that he’s basically good at everything.

“I feel like he’s good at all of them,” a National League reliever said. “I’ve seen his bowling highlights. I’ve seen him in the gym shooting basketballs. I saw his golf swing — his golf swing’s elite. I’m going to let him pick whatever sport he wants.”

Another NL reliever was concise: “Legitimately, whatever he chooses to be good at, he’d be good at.”

It makes sense that opposing pitchers would feel that way about Betts’ talents.

2. Aaron Judge, Yankees (football)
This one just makes too much sense. Judge is one of the most powerful and physically imposing players in baseball history, so it stands to reason that his peers would immediately think about him playing football when asked this question.

What position? Tight end was mentioned a lot.

“He’d play tight end,” one NL shortstop said. “Throw it up there, he’d catch it.”

“Tight end,” said an AL starting pitcher. “Just throw the ball up to that guy. The QB in me wants to. Go Gronkowski. Just stand over a defensive back.”

One NL starting pitcher alluded to what many pitchers are thinking when they see Judge at the plate, but he applied it to football.

“I would love to see Aaron Judge as a tight end,” he said. “He’s a big guy, and the last guy you would want to see cutting across the middle of the field.”

3. Elly De La Cruz, Reds (football)
De La Cruz has all the tools. And not just for baseball.

“I think he could play football,” an NL outfielder said. “He’s quick. I feel like he has a fearless mentality. He just plays the game. He’ll play whatever position — wide receiver, corner. He’s tall, so he could kind of go out and get it.”

When it comes to bases, De La Cruz certainly goes out and gets them — he led the Majors by swiping 67 of them last season. So why not some receptions in football?

4. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (football)
Witt had a huge season last year after demonstrating his all-around ability with a 30-homer, 49-steal campaign in 2022. Take that kind of power/speed combination from the diamond to the gridiron and you could have yourself quite an offensive threat in football. Witt was committed to Oklahoma prior to signing with the Royals, but perhaps he could’ve caught passes from 2019 Heisman Trophy runner-up Jalen Hurts as a true freshman.

An AL pitcher who was surveyed agrees.

“He might be the best athlete in our sport with what he can do — throwing, running, hitting,” he said. “He’s so quick-twitch. I know he played some football growing up. He could probably have played some other sports too.”

5. (Tie) José Ramírez, Guardians (boxing); Will Benson, Reds (basketball); Justin Verlander, Giants (golf)
A three-way tie for fifth gives us a variety of sports here. For J-Ram, boxing was a popular choice among his peers for a sport he would be good at outside of baseball. And if you remember his confrontation with Tim Anderson from a couple of years ago, you’ll know why.

Considering that Benson was nearly a basketball player at Duke, it’s no surprise that his peers think he could be a great hoopster.

“He had a preferred walk-on at Duke,” said an AL outfielder. “I think he would have been just fine there.”

Others receiving votes: Ronald Acuña Jr. (basketball), Corbin Carroll (football), Francisco Lindor (tennis), Shohei Ohtani (“everything”), Tyler O’Neill (football), Julio Rodríguez (football), Trayce Thompson (basketball), Mike Trout (football) and Devin Williams (soccer)