No. 5 NFL Pick Called Up by N.Y. Yankees
NEW YORK — “Neon Deion†Sanders, the brash cornerback chosen fifth in last month’s NFL draft, was called up by baseball’s New York Yankees today, creating a potential bidding war between baseball and football.
Sanders, who was drafted out of Florida State by the Atlanta Falcons and is considered a better prospect in football than in baseball, was bumped up two steps by the Yankees, who purchased his contract from Albany-Colonie of the Double-A Eastern League.
An outfielder, he was hitting .286 with 17 stolen bases and had a .380 on-base percentage.
The call-up gave the man also known as “Prime Time,†more negotiating leverage than he already had. Right after the draft, he said he would seek a $10-million, 6-year contract that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player ever before he has ever played a game.
“It’s going to make for a very interesting situation,†said Sanders’ agent, Steve Zucker.
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
