Former MLB player Monte Harrison plans to walk on to the Arkansas Razorbacks as a receiver

Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff WriterMay 7, 2024, 06:09 PM ET
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- Covers the Pac-12.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Attended Washington State University.

Former Major League Baseball player Monte Harrison is headed back to school … to play football.

Less than two years removed from his last MLB appearance with the Los Angeles Angels, he plans to walk on at Arkansas as a receiver with the Razorbacks, an Arkansas spokesperson confirmed to ESPN. Harrison, 28, was a four-star recruit who committed to the Nebraska Cornhuskers as part of the class of 2014, but after the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the second round of the 2014 MLB draft, he embarked upon a career in professional baseball.

Harrison reached the majors in 2020, when he debuted for the Miami Marlins, hitting .170 with one home run and six stolen bases across 32 games. He played nine more games for the Marlins in 2021 and another nine for the Angels in 2022, before capping his career last season with the Nashville Sounds, the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate.

In 57 career MLB at bats, Harrison hit .176 with two home runs. In 10 seasons across all levels of professional baseball, Harrison hit .242 with 97 home runs and 230 stolen bases.

As a senior at Lee’s Summit (Missouri) West High in 2013, Harrison caught 60 passes for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns. He signed a letter of intent with Nebraska — then coached by Bo Pelini — over offers from Arkansas, the Iowa Hawkeyes, Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Michigan State Spartans and Missouri Tigers, among others.