Michigan State has become the latest FBS program to lose a player, albeit not through what’s become the standard portal exit.
In December of last year, Jase Bowen signed on as a member of MSU’s 2019 recruiting class and had intended to play both football and baseball for the Spartans. Earlier this month, however, Brown was selected with the 334th overall pick (11th round) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Major League Baseball draft.
On his Twitter account Wednesday evening, Bowen, a shortstop in the stick-and-ball sport, indicated that he has signed with the MLB club and will be, at least for now, eschewing a collegiate football career.
“Michigan State will always hold a special place in my heart, but today a childhood dream of mine came true,” Bowen wrote as he shared photos of himself signing his professional baseball contract.
Michigan State will always hold a special place in my heart, but today a childhood dream of mine came true. I officially signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates to begin my professional baseball career. Couldn’t think of a better first job. Go Bucs🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/5l67C0f31c
— Jase Bowen (@Jase_bowen32) June 19, 2019
Coming out of high school in Toledo, Bowen, who had been committed to play baseball at Notre Dame before interest in him as a football prospect ratcheted up, was a three-star recruit who was rated as the No. 25 football player at any position in the state of Ohio. Bowen was the lowest-rated of the three receivers MSU added in the most recent signing cycle.
It should be noted that, should Bowen’s MLB career not play out in the manner in which he hopes, he could always return to the collegiate level and play football, at either MSU or elsewhere.