Former Angels Outfielder Back in College — To Play Division I Football

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 18, 2024

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Former Los Angeles Angels outfielder Monte Harrison has gone back to school and is ready to play a different sport this fall.

Harrison is enrolled at the University of Arkansas and is a wide receiver for the Razorbacks. He is a 29-year-old true freshman and is practicing with the first team.

Home Run ball ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/sx0NSLWglC

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) August 8, 2024

Harrison was selected with the No. 50 pick in the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers and passed up his opportunity to be a multi-sport athlete at the University of Nebraska.

The former outfielder appeared in 50 games between Los Angeles and Miami between 2020 and 2022. He hit .176 with two home runs, six runs batted in, and seven stolen bases.

Harrison played football and baseball in high school at Lee's Summit (Mo.) West High School. During his senior year, the former four-star recruit recorded 60 receptions for 1,007 yards and 13 receiving touchdowns while running for 198 yards with 12 scores.

“Monte’s been impressive,” wide receiver coach Ronnie Fouch said following Tuesday’s practice. “I was unsure, coming from baseball, how in shape he could be and how you handle a full practice, and he’s done a great job. He’s strong, he’s physical, he’s still learning releases and stuff like that. A little raw on some technical things, but he’s progressed every day of camp and developed those techniques that he’s missed out on for a couple years. But he has the natural talent, the burst, the strength, and the strong hands.”

Harrison has not only impressed his coaches but his teammates are blown away by his skill.

Great moment from Bobby Petrino's press conference today as he brings up former MLB player Monte Harrison as one of the WRs who stood out from the first scrimmage.

BP: "Monte, our 30-something wide receiver, I think he turned 30, he just had a birthday."

Reporter: "29."

BP:… pic.twitter.com/3lGDoZR7Ug

— Courtney Mims (@MimsCourtney) August 13, 2024

“You know, he can catch the ball,” receiver Isaiah Sategna said. “He has crazy ball skills. He’s not really used to running routes and stuff, but he can catch that ball for sure.”

“It’s good to have someone with experience — obviously it wasn’t in the NFL — but play in the league (as in Major Leagues),” Isaac TeSlaa said. “He’s obviously got a lot of wisdom and experience, so we’ve been listening to him and the different advice he’s got.”

Cornerback Jaheim Singletary has had to cover Harrison a lot in practice and has been impressed.

“I’ve been going against him,” Singletary said. “He’s a pretty nice dude. He’s big in size and real strong, so he’s going to be good for the team.”

Harrison was known for his speed and range in the outfield and made his MLB debut on Aug. 4, 2020, as a member of the Marlins against the Baltimore Orioles. Miami designated him for assignment in March 2022 and he signed a minor league contract with the Angels the following month.

The Angels DFA'd him in July and he signed a minor league contract with Milwaukee in 2023 and was released in September.