Baseball America released its first, second and third All-America teams with one familiar name with national fame from a different sport, Jameis Winston.
Winston, a switch-hitting outfielder and also a relief pitcher, landed on the third team All-America as a utility player. In his second year of eligibility as a baseball player, Florida State Seminoles baseball coach Mike Martin said he hopes to use Winston as the team's closer.
"We want him to be our closer when it's all said and done," Martin told ESPN last month. "That's what we're going to prepare him to be."
He will still get at-bats as an outfielder and designated hitter. Last year, Winston hit for a .235 average, seven doubles, three triples and scored 21 runs. On the mound, he had a 3.00 ERA and struck out 21 batters in 27 innings with a fastball that can reach 95 mph.
"We will use Jameis just like we do everybody else," said Martin. "We're not going to treat him any differently, and he doesn't want to be treated any differently. He's a Seminole baseball player now. We're going to use him in the outfield, we're going to use him on the mound, we're going to use him as a DH some."
Winston was drafted in the 15th round of the 2012 amateur draft, but elected to stay in school. The decision paid off and he led the Seminoles to a BCS National Championship win over Auburn last month.
Baseball America ranked Winston 20th overall among sophomore prospects. Given his success in football and early promise as a baseball player, Winston may be able to make his case to be a professional two-sport athlete after all.
"It keeps me busy instead of dealing with all the outside stuff and dealing with everything coming my way," Winston told ESPN of heightened attention given him. "I keep playing sports, and I've got to keep my grades up, so I won't be focused on any outside things."
