Aztecs’ Munson turns to baseball now – The San Diego Union-Tribune

San Diego State baseball players reconvene next week when practice begins for the 2016 season, which opens the weekend of Feb. 19 with a three-game series against Oregon.

While there will be many storylines for an Aztecs team that has won back-to-back-to-back Mountain West tournament championships, I am especially intrigued to see what role Calvin Munson could play with the team this season.

Munson was a key figure on a football team that just completed one of the most memorable seasons in school history. He could be a key player on the baseball team as well. The hard-throwing right-hander, who has a 92-93 mph fastball, has the mound presence and ability that makes him a candidate for Aztecs closer.

Baseball scouts are eager to get a glimpse of the 6-foot-1, 240-pound Munson as well, with several already inquiring about his role this season. Munson, a junior in football, is a draft-eligible sophomore in baseball. He was drafted by the Cardinals out of Missouri’s Francis Howell High after leading his team to a state championship, but chose to pursue his football career in college.

Munson is on a football scholarship, so that sport is his first priority. Spring football’s month-long run is right after baseball season begins. But Munson is more familiar with juggling his schedule after going through this last year, when he first joined the baseball team. He pitched sparingly, throwing 5.1 innings over seven appearances.

He could play a larger role this year for the Aztecs. Much larger. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Two-sport stars are few and far between at this level, although the name of one of them is on Tony Gwynn Stadium.

kirk.kenney@sduniontribune.com / on Twitter: @kirKDKenney