Hunter Jr. forsakes football for Angels

The Angels' Minor League system will include a player with some serious pedigree in 2017. 

Torii Hunter Jr., son of the five-time Major League All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, said Thursday over social media that he will stop playing football in order to focus on baseball. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected the 21-year-old outfielder out of Notre Dame in the 23rd round of this year's First-Year Player Draft.

A standout wide receiver for the Fighting Irish, Hunter Jr. was eligible to get onto the gridiron next season for a fifth year at Notre Dame. In a statement released on Twitter, he said after achieving a degree in information technology management he would "rather follow a dream of playing professional baseball."

Love thee! ������ pic.twitter.com/aBOBPPHdIy

- Torii Hunter Jr. (@THunterJr) December 15, 2016

Hunter Jr. saw limited time on the diamond in college, going 2-for-11 with two walks this year and being used primarily as a pinch-runner for two seasons. On the football field, Hunter Jr. was a captain for Notre Dame this year. He logged 73 receptions for 949 yards and six career touchdowns.

"We were willing to take a chance," Angels director of scouting Ric Wilson told MLB.com when the club drafted Hunter Jr. in June. "It's hard to turn those kind of tools away. He can run, he's got some power, he's got some strength to him; he's very, very athletic. We'll roll the dice, see what we've got. It's hard to go wrong when you take athletes."

The native of Prosper, Texas signed on June 29, 22 days after his 21st birthday, and his mother, Katrina Hunter, told the website Notre Dame Insider he would not play summer ball this year.

"His degree is the most important thing," she said.

The elder Torii Hunter played 19 Major League seasons, including five for the Angels. He put up a career average of .277 with a .331 on-base percentage while mashing 353 taters and stealing 195 bases.

Hunter Jr. was not the first celebrated Fighting Irish wide receiver to elect baseball over football in the 21st century. Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija fully committed to pitching in 2007.