Former Razorback Carlton Salters Now Chasing Baseball Dream

by Jim Henry

Filed under: Giants, Minor Leagues

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Carlton Salters was thankful for the opportunities and memories, but he had come to the realization that a career in football probably wasn't in his future. Salters appeared in 27 games primarily in a reserve role over three seasons at Arkansas and had grown tired of the sport.

It was late July when Salters, who was preparing for his senior season with the Razorbacks, saw the announcement in the local newspaper: The Kansas City Royals were holding an open tryout camp in Springdale, Ark., home to the organization's Double-A minor league team and a 20-minute drive from Fayetteville.

Salters played baseball in high school, was an outfielder during his redshirt season for the Razorbacks in 2007 and often thought of returning to the diamond. But that's as far as Salters had taken it until he saw the Royals announcement.

It was a Tuesday and the Royals' tryout was that upcoming Friday, three days away. And, by the way, Salters hadn't picked up a baseball or a bat in three years, let alone three days, and who knows where he had placed his cleats.

No problem, sort of.

"I was nervous because I hadn't hit live pitching in three years but I told myself, 'You know what?' Natural ability was going to have to take over for me," Salters told FanHouse. "And it did, it really did. I went to the tryout and things took off from there."

That they did.

 

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