Trail Blazers rookie Pat Connaughton to throw first pitch before Hillsboro Hops game

By foxsports
Published

A couple months ago, Pat Connaughton officially became an NBA player. But, if he wanted, there's a great chance the former Notre Dame guard could also be pitching in the major leagues.

He's really good at two sports, and according to The Oregonian's Mike Tokito, Connaughton will kick off the Hillsboro Hops' Northwest League championship series by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. Makes sense, right?:

Connaughton can throw gas. Will he show his stuff or take a little off and not embarrass any of the game's actual participants? This may be the night's most climactic moment. 

(h/t: The Oregonian)

The 6-foot-5 Connaughton joined the Blazers in a draft-day trade from Brooklyn, which selected him in the second round. He was a two-sport standout at Notre Dame who pitched for the baseball team and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth round of the 2014 Major League Draft. After he was drafted, he pitched for the Aberdeen IronBirds of the short-season Class-A New York-Penn League, an East Coast equivalent of the Northwest League, before returning to Notre for his senior basketball season. Connaughton will join two other members of the Blazers in throwing out the first pitch at a Hops game. Big man Meyers Leonard did the honors last month, and coach Terry Stotts did so last season (and at a Seattle Mariners game this season).