[MUSIC]
If you're a college football fan,
then you know what A.J. Brown can do with the ball in his hands.
In traffic, Brown hauls it in.
Breaks a tackle.
And A.J. Brown down the sideline, touchdown.
When you see A.J. catch it you're like, "He's going to score."
A play action, A.J. Brown brings it home.
I'm thinking, "Hey he's getting to the end zone."
Nine times out of ten he's going to score.
Brown wide open.
Caught, what a catch.
A.J. Brown touchdown.
Oh what a move by A.J. Brown.
Touchdown Ole Miss.
Kind of looks like the number one they have, the last few years.
And if he can replace what Laquan Treadwell did,
he's got a great future ahead of him.
But there's a side to A.J. that's unfamiliar to most.
One that plays on the diamond instead of the gridiron.
Well you guys said, he's a football player, he's also a baseball player.
Brown was drafted by the San Diego Padres out of high school.
And he has said he hopes to pursue his career in baseball as well.
He has to make a big decision in the future.
My first love was baseball.
I played football.
But that wasn't the love of my life, baseball was the love of my life.
He loves baseball.
You know, I started him off at a young age,
like two-years old he was hitting in the house.
Hitting the baseball in the house.
He was still in Pampers, still hitting the baseball.
I remember growing up hitting fish tanks in the house with the baseball bat.
Like, I never got in trouble for it.
Because I used to hit baseball's in the house all the time with my dad.
So I just grew up loving baseball.
So that was my passion.
That's what I wanted to do.
So he played first base because he could catch.
And he played shortstop and we had a good catcher.
He played outfield.
He really could play anywhere, anywhere on the field.
Fortunately, I started playing football,
I got to middle school, I didn't really play.
And I started playing my tenth grade year.
He said he was walking in the hall man,
and his best friend Ralph called him a chicken.
Told him – said, "Man you need to come play football."
And he said, "No I don't want to play no football."
So like then he called him a chicken.
And he said, "Okay I'm coming out."
And he went out and that was his tenth grade year.
Yeah, but he – he always had a passion for baseball.
After a stellar high school career,
A.J. was drafted in the 19th round of the MLB draft.
In the off season, he still returns to his personal field of dreams.
I kind of wish I'd came out here and played now man.
Just just the vibe I'm getting from this atmosphere, I'm loving it so.
Oh.
[Cheering and Clapping]
I could just pick up a bat and a glove.
You know what I'm saying?
Like, I'm really blessed that I can do that,
like football I'm trying hard for and whatever.
Baseball, it just sort of comes to me natural,
you know I started since I was little.
You should be out there playing.
Yes, sir, I wish.
I'm just saying I just want to hit one time.
I just want to hit one time, I'll be fine.
I'm really like visioning myself playing right now.
I wish I played.
It's so chill to me though.
Baseball's so chill to me like.
That's the only time like, you got to stay like locked in.
Like I was out there playing with lives and stuff.
I'm telling you I'd just really be in my own zone.
We had to be number one or two if I would have played here.
I got (inaudible) for that one.
I brought him up to compete.
And I always told him, know we're number one because he was number one.
I used to always tell him, I'd say, "Kid you're number one."
You're the best of all times.
Thank you sir.
You're going to be the best receiver (inaudible).
Thank you.
Where do you have to go?
Arizona?
Arizona, yes sir.
Good luck.
Thank you.
It be crazy how everybody be knowing like what I got to do,
where I got to go.
[MUSIC]
Chasing his first love, America's pastime,
brings A.J. to the southwest corner of the nation once a year.
We in Arizona took me a little trip right here to play a little baseball.
Bat around a little bit.
We got the game going on.
We just got here not too long ago.
So we're coming to check it out.
I see an Ole Miss hat, thank you.
Hey.
Yeah.
Mr. Brown is somewhere here.
How you doing?
Doing well.
How is life?
Good.
How was last season?
Did you play at all?
Yes, sir.
It was good.
[Laughter]
Yeah.
What do you play?
Receiver, is that what you play?
I pay running back.
No, I play receiver, I'm just joking.
You do?
Yeah.
One night he came in the room and he said,
"Dad, you know that's a blessing
that I got a chance to come and play professional baseball.
You know, something that I always dreamed to do."
There it is.
I'm not worried about the length,
but like I want to be able to cover the whole plate too.
So what did you go with?
What's that guy?
Oh that's a 33.
Yes, nice smooth.
I don't want to be smooth by tomorrow though.
[Laughter]
Oh yeah I need that pine tar.
I was just about to say that.
You could have gave me like an old bat or something.
These are nice too.
It feels good, you know, this is a professional team.
It's a blessing for real though.
(Spoken in foreign language)
I know what that means.
Hold on.
Hold on, what that mean again?
I forgot.
(Spoken in foreign language)
What's up?
What that mean?
Muchacho.
How do you know what he's saying?
(Inaudible)
You don't know what he's saying.
I'm just asking around, I'm like, how you know what people be saying?
I say, you don't.
[Laughter]
I heard everybody rave about him.
And then like I actually see him hit the ball.
So I was like mmm.
[Ball hitting bat]
It's fascinating seeing the ball come off of his bat.
He isn't a football player that somebody looked at and said,
"Hey, maybe we can make him a baseball player.
Because he's a great athlete."
No, he was a baseball player first.
You've got a pretty swing.,
especially for someone who don't work on it that much.
Your timing is great.
Your contact point is great.
You're not like, okay, get back, step, swing.
That's what I see with a lot of football players
Because football is very much bam, bam, bam.
Yeah.
You know.
I think he's got that bug inside of him.
There's always that itch.
Baseball does that to you.
It's hard to get rid of.
I'll try and get ahold of Deion now.
I sent a text out to him today.
I'm waiting for him to call me back.
I'd like to get him on the phone with you
and let him talk to you a little bit.
Him, Brian Jordan, I don't know if you remember Brian Jordan.
He played safety for the Falcons.
Football's my favorite.
But you know, I got smarter in the NFL
and decided baseball was going to be longevity
and financially NFL.
But, you know, I'm one of those guys that I'm going to tell you,
do both if you have the opportunity man.
They're doing it for return bro.
They're different bro, like I can't even imagine it, they're doing it for return.
Yeah, I knew he was a great baseball player,
so he has two great things he's good at.
I heard that you're a football player or something.
Yeah.
This famous guy.
While football might bring A.J. fame, so too might his first love, baseball.
I have goals, but I just really want to have fun, enjoy everything.,
like the workouts, the runs, I'm just trying to enjoy it and just work hard.
[MUSIC]