MLB Players Who Also Danced in NCAA 'March Madness'

From Kenny Lofton to Dave Winfield, there have been some big-time big leaguers who did some damage on the court.

Lofton and Winfield didn't just play basketball at the collegiate level, but they also took part in the Big Dance before moving on to MLB stardom. Looking back through the history books, those outfielders aren't the only prominent major leaguers who competed in the madness that is the NCAA tournament.

There are some impressive names on this exclusive list, but none of them could throw down a dunk quite like Lofton.

Dave Winfield, RF/PF

The Backstory

Before clubbing his way to Cooperstown, Winfield was a two-sport star at the University of Minnesota.

In addition to playing baseball, the 6'6" Hall of Famer also took the court for the Gophers. Winfield was a part of Minnesota's 1972 squad which won the Big Ten title and played in the NCAA tournament.

Unfortunately, the most memorable moment of Winfield's hoops career was an ugly brawl with Ohio State University. After one of Winfield's teammates sparked the melee, the 12-time All-Star got in on the action, landing numerous punches in the fracas, per Lost Letterman.

Kenny Lofton, CF/PG

The Backstory

While Lofton is famous for his crazy speed on the diamond, the longtime big leaguer also had some insane hops. He was so good on the court that Lofton actually went to the University of Arizona on a basketball scholarship.

Lofton was the backup point guard for the 1988 team, which advanced to the Final Four. That season, Lofton was the understudy to Steve Kerr, who is now the wildly successful rookie coach of the Golden State Warriors. The following year, Lofton staked his place in the starting five for a Wildcats team that reached the Sweet 16.

Per Adam Doster of The Classical, Lofton is one of just two players to ever appear in both the Final Four and the World Series. His future was in baseball, but as Lofton explained via Doster, his time on the court proved to be indispensable in his major league success: “Playing in the Pac-10 and the Final Four gave me an opportunity to understand the [competitiveness it takes to perform at a high level].”

Randy Winn, CF/G

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The Backstory

Randy Winn was on the floor for one of the most epic upsets in March Madness history.

In 1993, Winn was a member of the Santa Clara University team that took down the University of Arizona 64-61 in the opening round. Per The Washington Post, the Broncos are one of just seven No. 15 seeds to ever top a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

While Winn's name is part of the historical record, the center fielder certainly wasn't the star of the show. That distinction belonged to Steve Nash, who would go on to be a NBA MVP Award winner.

Tony Clark, 1B/F

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

The Backstory

If not for a back injury, there's a chance that Tony Clark never would have enjoyed a 15-year MLB career.

Per BaseballHall.org, Clark landed a basketball scholarship to the University of Arizona in 1990 and then was drafted second overall by the Detroit Tigers that summer. Thanks to an unusual clause in his contract, the first baseman/forward was able to play college basketball and minor league baseball.

As he explained via BaseballHall.org, Clark was a big fan of the setup: “Everything was about as perfect as a young athlete could possibly draw it up.”

The Wildcats earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament during his freshman season, but things changed for Clark after he injured his back. Clark ended up transferring to San Diego State State, where he led the team in scoring during the 1991-92 season before ultimately opting to focus on baseball.

Clark's playing days are now over, but he's still involved in the game, as the executive director of the MLB Players Association.

If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.