Florida State Heisman Trophy winner and national-championship-winning quarterback Jameis Winston has been named a preseason All-American by Baseball America.
The 19-year-old redshirt freshman was a starter on the Seminoles nationally ranked baseball team last season, starting 32 games as a right fielder and appearing in 17 others as a reliever. Baseball America tabbed Winston, who also played in 10 other games as a designated hitter, as a third-team utility player.
During his freshman season, Winston hit .235 with seven doubles, three triples and 21 runs scored. On the mound, the right-hander finished with an 1-2 record, 3.00 ERA, 21 strikeouts and two saves in 27 innings of work.
Florida State coach Mike Martin told NESN Winston's still rising celebrity won't have any negative impact on the team.
"We will use Jameis just like we do everybody else," he told NESN. "We're not going to treat him any differently, and he doesn't want to be treated any differently."
In the end, Martin added he envisions Winston's role being similar to the one he played last season."He's a Seminole baseball player now," he added. "We're going to use him in the outfield, we're going to use him on the mound, we're going to use him as a DH some.
Ultimately, Martin sees Winston serving in a capacity similar to what he proved to be for the Seminole football this perfect, 13-0 season.
"We want him to be our closer when it's all said and done," he said. "That's what we're going to prepare him to be."
Widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft, Winston is on record in asserting he wants to continue playing baseball at least through his college days.
"It keeps me busy instead of dealing with all the outside stuff and dealing with everything coming my way," he recently told reporters. "I keep playing sports, and I've got to keep my grades up, so I won't be focused on any outside things."
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