2018 MLB Draft: Dual UNC commit Jordyn Adams selected 17th overall by the Angels

With the 17th overall pick, the Los Angeles Angels selected UNC dual football and baseball commit Jordyn Adams in the 2018 MLB draft on Monday night. 

Now, that leaves a decision for Adams: either to fulfill his commitment to play two sports for the Tar Heels, or opt out for a seven figure bonus, a paycheck and a focus on just one. 

Adams, a senior at Green Hope High School in Cary, was the first prospect from the state of North Carolina and the fifth outfielder taken in the draft. He excels at both football and baseball, but now his athletic skills at both sports are at odds with one another.  

Coming into the draft, MLB.com ranked Adams the 37th draft prospect on the board. He is a player with all the speed to be dangerous on the base path and the quickness to track down balls in the outfield. 

In center field for Green Hope, Adams impressed MLB scouts in April by stealing a tournament-best five bases at the National High School Invitational, the biggest baseball showcase tournament in the country. Ever since, he’s been considered a mid-first rounder on most draft boards. 

As a senior, Adams hit .453 for the Falcons, knocking in 15 RBIs on 34 hits and using his speed out on the bases to score 29 runs, according to stats on MaxPreps. All those numbers added up to a chance to become a member of the Angels organization. 

All the while, Adams has another opportunity to join his father, Deke, the defensive line coach for the Tar Heels. Adams decision to choose school over the baseball pipeline would keep father and son close to each other. Jordyn previously moved from Blythewood, S.C., to Cary after his junior season so he could be closer to his dad, who took the job to return to UNC in January 2017.

He would be a worthy addition to a North Carolina football program that went 3-9 last season and lacked the true star power to put up points. If he chooses to stick to the original plan, he would make an immediate impact in Chapel Hill.

On the gridiron, the 6-foot-2 174-pound younger Adams tallied 1,571 total yards at quarterback as a junior. Then, he moved over to wide receiver as a senior, the position he was recruited to play, and caught 54 passes for 1,060 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

But after being drafted, two paths officially lay before Jordyn Adams. He can sign with his new team and start to navigate the ranks of baseball, or remain an amateur and pursue two sports in Chapel Hill — reevaluating the future at a later date.

It should be noted that Adams could pursue a baseball career now and return to football later. If he signs on the dotted line he'll lose his amateur status in baseball, but it won't affect his football eligibility if he ever returned to college. 

The clock is ticking, though. Adams’ new club retains the right to sign him until 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 15, at which point he will have to choose UNC or the MLB. 

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