Outfielder Dylan Cozens ditching baseball to pursue career in NFL

Former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Dylan Cozens, who last played in the major leagues in 2019, has decided to shelve his baseball dream in favor of another one: playing professional football. 

Cozens, 27, revealed Tuesday on social media his decision to give up a roster spot on the Milwaukee Brewers' Class AAA team in Nashville to purse one in the NFL. 

The 6-6, 245-pound Cozens was a two-sport star at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, and his father Randy was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1976. He had a scholarship offer to play football at the University of Arizona, but turned it down when the Phillies drafted him in the second round of the 2012 MLB draft.

I’ve decided it’s time to chase my dream of playing in the @NFL. I want to thank the @phillies@RaysBaseball and @Brewers organizations for giving me the opportunity to play professional baseball but more importantly the people, experiences, and memories I’ll keep forever.

Cozens spent eight years in the Phillies organization, with his best season coming in 2016, when he hit .276 with 40 home runs and 125 RBI at Class AA Reading (Pennsylvania). 

He finally reached the major leagues in 2018, when he played in 26 games, hitting .158 with a homer and two RBI in 38 at-bats.

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