9 MLB Players We'd Love to See Enter MMA When They Retire

With the UFC just throwing its biggest event ever, MMA is on the rise. The MLB All-Star game being so close in proximity provides us with the question of who would be good in MMA from the MLB.

There are a couple of guys who currently work out in MMA gyms to keep their conditioning and tone throughout the season. There are also quite a few guys who would just fit well for the idea that the UFC is about anyone and everyone fighting for a title.

To have a little bit of fun with it, we'll take a look position by position to have someone who can try out for the UFC and even have some fun in the MMA arena. I'm not saying these people would be successful in MMA, but it would be entertaining to see every one of them in a match.

Catcher Russell Martin

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 205 lbs

Weight Class: Middleweight (185 lbs)

The Yankees catcher has been doing MMA workouts for a couple of years now. The biggest reason he did it was to keep his conditioning and health up for a 162 game season at one of the most physically demanding positions out there. Anthony McCarron of the NY Daily News quoted him:

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"I wasn't getting in the ring and fighting guys," Martin said, smiling. "It was how they condition, how they prepare. Just a lot of power endurance stuff, high-intensity work with short recovery times. It builds your cardio and you get in better shape."

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So while he is just using it to get in better shape, Martin has a nasty attitude like most catchers do and his training background would have him ready for a fight right out of baseball. He is listed at middleweight because with primarily MMA training and some leaning of his frame, Martin could cut down to the 185 class.

First Baseman Prince Fielder

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 275 lbs

Weight Class: Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Power and strength is the name of the game with Prince Fielder. He is one of the strongest players in the entire game and has won the 2012 Home Run Derby because of it. In MMA, he could use his dominant strength to an advantage.

Honestly, what would be more fun than watching Cecil Fielder's son take names in Strikeforce? However, it's unlikely that he would do that well. His height is a deterrent and his reach isn't as far as what would be needed to succeed in the heavyweight division.

Second Baseman Robinson Cano

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 210 lbs

Weight Class: Middleweight (185 lbs)

Robinson Cano is amazing in terms of his power for his size. He has a great frame and the kind of speed that could make him good in MMA. However, he would be fun to watch because of how controversial he has the ability to be.

Cano is a Yankee. He is slowly becoming the face of the Yankees even over Jeter and A-Rod. Who doesn't love a true villain? Cano could even come out and have Yankee as his nickname. He'd have the potential be the next Chael Sonnen in MMA and for that, he'd be fun to watch.

Shortstop Elvis Andrus

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 200 lbs

Weight Class: Middleweight (185 lbs)

Elvis Andrus is not particularly aggressive, except on the base paths. He's a risk taker and isn't afraid to get thrown out. It'd be amazing to see what he could do as an MMA fighter with his jack of all trades, but master of none physical skill set.

Andrus could be a lot of fun to watch because he could be a risk taker. He would be the quintessential boom-or-bust fighter and while he could lose a lot of fights, he would also be able to learn how to win a lot of them too.

Third Baseman Pablo Sandoval

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 240 lbs

Weight Class: Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)

Pablo has a lot of extra weight on his frame. Honestly, with proper MMA training, losing 35 pounds is not out of the question. He has a strong arm and would be fun to watch as a fighter. Pablo Sandoval also sounds more like an MMA fighter than a baseball player.

However, in looking at him, MMA training could only help him become a much better baseball player. He's already an all-star but imagine him with another 15-20 pounds of fat off of his frame and quicker hands for both glove and bat speed.

Outfielder Adam Dunn

Height: 6'6"

Weight: 285 lbs

Weight Class: Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Adam Dunn is an animal of a man and has the size that could make him dominant in MMA if he could cut down 20 pounds to a more serviceable 265. His length and strength would make him similar to an Alistair Overeem.

He has even started MMA training (via NY Times' Joe Breschia), but he doesn't do it for anything but stamina training. If he did decide to start training to fight, losing those 20 pounds to get down to heavyweight shouldn't be too hard.

Outfielder Jason Heyward

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 240 lbs

Weight Class: Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Jon Jones used his long legs and arms as a way to keep opponents away and dominate fights. Jason Heyward could do the same in the heavyweight division. He looks skinny at 240 pounds and could even bulk up another 10-15 pounds to be one of the biggest, best fighters in the division.

Heyward likely would never do MMA, but the training at the very least could help him stay fully healthy for a whole season. It could also improve his long-term strength and ability on the field as a very solid outfielder.

Outfielder Bryce Harper

Height: 6'3'"

Weight: 215 lbs

Weight Class: Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)

Bryce Harper is the youngest on this list. He also has the potential as one of the best theoretical fighters on this list. He is fast, good with the glove and strong with the bat. He's got the ability to develop into a full five-tool player.

It's only a matter of time for that. However, the same things that make him great in baseball could make him a great MMA fighter. Good balance, hip control and quick hands are the paramount of the top MMA fighters in the game today.

Pitcher Tim Collins

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 175 lbs

Weight Class: Lightweight (155 lbs)

Tim Collins is somewhat of a mighty-mouse when it comes to MLB pitchers. He throws a fastball and a cutter both in that 93-95 mile per hour range (via FanGraphs) and has one of the quickest arm movements out there.

With that kind of velocity on his fastball, it's only a question of how hard he could throw a left hook. He would have an unorthodox southpaw style that would have some MMA fighters scratching their heads. It would also be an interesting story from tiny major leaguer to MMA fighter.

Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist and Trends and Traffic Writer for Bleacher Report. As a Featured Columnist, he covers the Atlanta Falcons, NFL and NFL Draft. He is also the Falcons analyst at Drafttek and also runs the NFL Draft Website ScarDraft.com and the host of Kvetching Draftniks Radio.

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