If he can track it down like his father, the Angels just covered a lot of ground in the outfield. Torii Hunter Jr. has decided to pursue a baseball career with the MLB’s Los Angeles Angels, forgoing his final year of eligibility at Notre Dame.
Hunter is the son of Torii Hunter, a former Angels and Twins star, who picked up nine Golden Gloves, two Silver Slugger Awards and was a five-time MLB All-Star during his playing career.
Hunter Jr. made the announcement on his Twitter account:
Love thee! 🍀🍀🍀 pic.twitter.com/aBOBPPHdIy
— Torii Hunter Jr. (@THunterJr) December 15, 2016
While not stating it directly, Hunter Jr. missed a large portion of the season with a concussion and knee injuries which likely factored into his decision. Baseball will certainly offer more longevity and reduce the risk for serious injury, but only if he is able to make huge strides in his approach at the plate.
Appearing in 23 games over four seasons for the Fighting Irish Baseball team, Hunter Jr. hit only .167 with seven strikeouts. His talents were used mostly in a pinch running role which utilized the speed that allowed him to find success on the field.
Even if Hunter Jr. is able to field like his father, you need to be able to hit at the Major League level.
Having been selected in the 23rd round, there will be no guarantee that Hunter Jr. will make it to the highest level if he doesn’t prove he is worthy.
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Photo Credit: Torii Hunter Jr/Instagram
