Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown get some batting practice in before Phillies game
While the Philadelphia Phillies might have enough bats for the time being, A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts would be a great addition to any recreational softball team’s lineup. The Philadelphia Eagles duo showed off their power at the plate while taking some batting practice with the Phillies ahead of a game on Tuesday.
The video doesn’t show either taking a ball out of Citizens Bank Park, it does seem Brown came close on his cut, based off the reaction. And Hurts, who isn’t quite as massive as Brown, managed to send a ball to the warning track in centerfield.
Brown certainly had the advantage, though, as a former 19th round pick in the MLB draft — he was picked by the San Diego Padres before choosing to attend college and play football.
According to a story from Sports Illustrated that ran prior to the 2023 Super Bowl, Brown had a deal worth $100,000 with the Padres where, throughout college, he periodically train with the team for a few days at the end of each academic year in Arizona. The deal didn’t amount to much as Brown became a Tennessee Titan with a second round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft and left baseball in the rearview.
But the star receiver didn’t look too out of place in the batters box with a bat cocked back.
Hurts doesn’t share the baseball background that Brown does, but he was a powerlifter in high school. That strength was clearly evident as his compact swing, lefty swing still had plenty of pop to it.
Progress on the football field is where Hurts and the Eagles are focused
The Philadelphia Eagles expect even bigger things from quarterback Jalen Hurts in 2023. Although he’s coming off a monster year last fall, the organization believes he will only get better when the NFL season kicks off.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler joined “Get Up” to talk about Philadelphia’s addition of D’Andre Swift — acquiring the running back via a trade with the Detroit Lions during the NFL Draft. While the Eagles are excited about their backfield next year, they’re not backing off expectations for Hurts.
“They also expect that Hurts can make another major jump,” Fowler said. “He’s done it every year. They believe he can be one of those elite, precision-type pocket passers.”
Hurts enjoyed the best year of his career statistically in 2022. He threw for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns while completing more than 66% of his passes. All of those numbers were career-highs for the former Alabama and Oklahoma star.