Trey Griffey shuns the family business
Rather than play baseball like his father and grandfather, Trey Griffey hopes to make it in the NFL as a wide receiver.
The son of Ken Griffey, Jr. and grandson of the original Ken Griffey, Trey Griffey is taking a different path than his ancestors. While the elder Griffeys excelled at the highest level of Major League Baseball, Trey is hoping to make it in the NFL. The wide receiver from the University of Arizona was an undrafted free agent this spring. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts, but was waived in July after being injured. On Tuesday, he signed with the Miami Dolphins.
Trey Griffey played four years with the Arizona Wildcats and caught 79 passes for 1241 yards and six touchdowns. If he makes the Dolphins’ final roster, he’ll play his home games in the state he grew up in. Making the roster is a longshot, though. Teams routinely bring in numerous undrafted free agents to compete for roster spots, then cut them when rosters have to be reduced. Griffey will have to show something in the pre-season to avoid that fate.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Last June, the Seattle Mariners drafted Trey with their 24th-round pick even though the younger Griffey hadn’t played baseball since he was 14 years old. Picking Trey in the 24th round was a nod to his father, who wore that number during his time with the Mariners. About six weeks after Trey was drafted by the M’s, Ken Griffey, Jr. was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
This wasn’t the first time the Mariners picked a relative of Junior in the amateur draft. In 1991, they used a 42nd round pick on Craig Griffey, Junior’s younger brother, even though Craig hadn’t played baseball since the eighth grade. Like Trey, Craig chose football over baseball in high school. He also ran track. In college, he played football at The Ohio State University as a special teams player after making the team as a walk-on. A back injury during his sophomore season ended his football career.
Craig Griffey began his career in the Arizona Rookie League, then followed in his brother’s footsteps when he played for the Bellingham Mariners in 1992. During the 1994 season, Junior predicted that he and his brother would be playing alongside each other in the Seattle outfield as soon as the following season. He was probably hoping for another Griffey duo to hit back-to-back home runs, as he and his father did in 1990.
Alas, it was not to be. Craig Griffey played seven seasons in the minor leagues and hit .224/.312/.291. He never advanced beyond Double-A. His less-than-stellar professional career puts him alongside other relatives of great MLB players, like Bobby Bonds, Jr., who was the son of Bobby Bonds and the brother of Barry Bonds. Bobby, Jr. stuck around baseball for 11 minor league seasons and hit .257/.334/.386 across all levels. He hit 62 total home runs in 11 seasons. His brother Barry hit 73 big flies in one season.
Next: Who is your home run king?
The Dolphins brought Trey Griffey on board after injuries hit multiple receivers already in camp. The team’s expected starters—Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills—are all healthy, so Griffey is hoping to make the roster as a receiver further down the depth chart. Judging by the comments online, most football fans believe he’s only getting this chance because of his last name.