38 MLB Games And A $3.5 Million Decision: Jordyn Adams' Wild College Football Return At 26

Alright, Seattle, listen up because this news is absolutely bonkers. You gotta be kidding me! Jordyn Adams, a dude who actually played in Major League Baseball, is ditching the diamond and heading back to college. Not just back to college for classes, though that'd be cool too, but back to the gridiron to play wide receiver for SMU this fall. And get this, he's 26 years old! Our jaws are on the floor with this one, truly. After a total of 38 MLB games, it looks like Adams is making one of the most unexpected career shifts we’ve ever seen.

The Football Talent He Nearly Unleashed on the NFL

This isn’t some random dude trying to walk on. We're talking about a serious athlete here. Back in 2018, 247Sports tabbed Adams as a five-star wide receiver, ranking him as the No. 3 player at his position and the No. 14 overall player in the entire class. Think about that for a second. He was in the same company as guys who are now absolute beasts in the NFL. He committed to North Carolina for both baseball and football after tearing it up at Green Hope High School. The talent was there, no doubt. You have to wonder, what if he stuck with football? Could he have been a game-changer we'd be talking about on Sundays now?

From Million-Dollar Prospect to College Comeback

But Adams chose the baseball route, and who could blame him with what was on the table? The Los Angeles Angels snatched him up with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. They wanted him bad, throwing down a contract with a slot value of about $3.5 million. He was a legit prospect, tearing it up in the minors across 678 games, where he batted .245, crushed 55 home runs, drove in 304 runs, and stole 165 bases. He got his shot in the big leagues, debuting in August 2023 for 17 games, then another 11 in 2024 with the Angels. But the MLB dream started to fade. He became a free agent before the 2025 season, signed with the Baltimore Orioles for 10 games, then the Milwaukee Brewers for 2026, getting assigned to Triple-A Nashville. Unfortunately, he was released in May, and with a .165 batting average, one homer, and five RBIs in his big league career, becoming a full-time MLB player looked unlikely. So, he made the pivot and signed with the SMU Mustangs. This is a story that just screams for you to follow along. It's not every day you see an athlete, especially one who's already been to the highest level in one sport, decide to go back to college and chase a completely different dream. Jordyn Adams is betting on himself in a massive way this fall, and you know we'll be watching every step of it. What an absolute wild ride for this guy, and we can’t wait to see what he does at SMU. Go get it, Jordyn!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.