The Texas Rangers have traded Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to the New York Yankees for future considerations.
The Rangers selected Wilson in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 draft during the winter meetings in December 2013, about two months before he led the Seahawks to a win over Denver in the Super Bowl.
Wilson spent a day in uniform with the Rangers at spring training in Surprise, Arizona, in 2014 without appearing in a game, and made another cameo appearance at camp the following spring. An infielder, Wilson hit .229 in two seasons in the low minor leagues in Colorado's system in 2010-11.
The two-sport professional athlete said he learned so much on the baseball field that translates to his game physically and mentally playing quarterback in the NFL.
In a statement, Wilson thanked the Texas Rangers for drafting him and giving him the chance to experience professional baseball again.
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"I've learned so much on the baseball field that translates to my game physically and mentally playing quarterback in the NFL," Wilson said. "While I embrace the chance to be a New York Yankee, I will forever be grateful to have been a part of a world class organization like the Texas Rangers."
Wilson is expected to join the Yankees at their spring training camp in March where he'll participate in pregame workouts and watch games from the dugout. He'll be assigned to the Double-A Trenton roster.
"We've admired Russell's career from afar for quite some time," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "This is a unique opportunity for us to learn from an extraordinary athlete who has reached the pinnacle of his profession. After talking to a number of our players, there is a genuine excitement in having Russell join us for a short time in camp."
