NCAA Midwest: Irish star Pat Connaughton following Jeff Samardzija's footsteps

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Another Notre Dame star gets national recognition in one sport and then winds up with a professional career in another?

Talk about madness.

History could be repeating itself in South Bend, Ind., where Notre Dame’s Pat Connaughton is trying to bring the Irish an NCAA tournament championship before returning to the minor leagues to pitch for an Orioles affiliate.

It was nine years ago that White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija was a standout wide receiver at Notre Dame before starting a career as a minor league pitcher with the Cubs. Samardzija said at White Sox camp this week he hasn’t spoken to Connaughton, but believes the 6-foot-5 swingman probably could play in either the NBA or in the majors.

“Just from watching him it seems like he’s a heck of a basketball player, and that’s what he’s on scholarship for,” Samardzija said. “That’s probably something he loves to do. (To me,) it’s the intrigue of what he could be in baseball that is so appealing.”

Outside of scouts, executives and college baseball followers, few knew Samardzija even was playing baseball when he was a football star for the Irish. Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken had Samardzija as No. 1 on his list, and the Cubs took a flier, drafting him in the fifth round.

After Samardzija’s senior season, NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had him rated as a top-20 pick in the 2007 draft. At that point, no one believed he would turn down the NFL for a baseball career, even though he was ranked No. 20 on Baseball America’s top prospects list after his first season in the minors. But shortly after Notre Dame lost to LSU in the Sugar Bowl, Samardzija signed a five-year, $10 million deal with the Cubs.

“LSU might have helped him make that decision,” manager Lou Piniella joked afterward.

It was a long, hard climb, but Samardzija was selected for the National League All-Star team last year and is now an established major league starter who figures to cash in next winter on the free-agent market.

Connaughton, whose fastball has been clocked as high as 98 mph, isn’t as highly touted in basketball as Samardzija was in football. But after the Irish’s rise in the rankings this year, his reputation has grown.

A three-sport athlete from St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass., Connaughton went 3-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 10 appearances for the Irish baseball team last spring and the Orioles selected him in the fourth round of the baseball draft with the 121st pick. MLB.com’s scouting report called him the best two-sport athlete in the draft and Connaughton signed for $428,000. MLB.com has him ranked as the Orioles’ ninth-best prospect.

He went on to make six appearances for the Orioles’ short-season Class A team, posting a 2.51 ERA and striking out 10 in 142/3 innings. The Orioles allowed Connaughton to return to Notre Dame for his senior season.

“It doesn’t happen too often, so it’s exciting to see kids these days still playing multiple sports,” Samardzija said. “I just enjoy seeing athletes in any sport. I think a pure athlete is fun to watch, and there’s always a certain competitive level to those guys that’s always special.”

Now Connaughton has helped lead Notre Dame to the ACC conference tournament title and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. He scored seven points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked five shots in the Irish’s 67-64 third-round overtime victory against Butler on Saturday.

Connaughton’s future seems to be in baseball, but who knows?

After the NCAA tournament, Connaughton may have to make a big decision.

Samardzija’s father and brother have been helping advise Connaughton, who could get a new contract from the Orioles if an NBA team drafts him and he has some added leverage.

“I think he just wanted a little information on what I did, and how I handled the situation and went about it, the pros and cons of it,” Samardzija said.

The future looks bright for Connaughton, but Samardzija knows how long and tough the road is from college stardom to being a star in the professional ranks. His only advice for Connaughton is to enjoy all the madness March has to offer, then go with your heart.

“Until you come to that point in your career where you have to make a decision, it’s all fun and games,” he said. “It’s tough, but it’s a good problem to have.”