Many people reading this article have probably heard of Mason Denaburg before. In the 2018 MLB Draft, the Washington Nationals selected him with their 1st round pick, number 27 overall, out of Merritt Island High School in Merritt Island, Florida. He was thought of by many as a high-upside prep arm with a lot of talent that could make noise at the big league level in the future.
But now, at 25-years-old, Denaburg revealed via his personal account on X that he is making a shocking transition. After his professional baseball career was cut short due to injuries and struggles at the lower levels of the minor leagues that saw him try a number of different things to be successful, he will now be switching to football.
In his statement that he released on Thursday, Denaburg revealed that he would be retiring from the sport of baseball, and will be committing to the University of Central Florida, where he will serve as a punter for the Knights beginning this Fall.
@UCF_Football pic.twitter.com/QnuDTS0RvM
— Mason Denaburg (@masondenaburg_) May 8, 2025
As I alluded to, Denaburg had a lot of struggles with injuries over his tenure in the Nationals organization, and even underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2021 that would knock him out for the entirety of that season. He could never quite figure it out at the professional level, but it certainly was not due to lack of effort.
He overcame lots of injuries and complications, and even converted to a reliever last season with the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks in order to lessen the toll on his body, and give him the best opportunity to progress through the system. While his numbers did improve after switching to the bullpen, he elected free agency in November of 2024, but remained unsigned until now. He was released at the same time as Carter Kieboom as well last year.
Obviously, with this decision coming to light today, we can see why. Denaburg, at 25-years-old, will get an opportunity to go to college and pursue his degree that he never got the chance to do after being drafted and signing out of high school, and will get to play Division 1 football as well. Not a bad fallback plan at all!
Special Teams does run in his family, as his brother Brady Denaburg is a college kicker at the Division 1 level. Brady appeared in 37 games for Syracuse University over the past couple seasons, and recently transferred to the University of Minnesota this offseason. Perhaps one day UCF and Minnesota will play each other in a bowl game and we can see the brothers reunite on the same football field.
While baseball didn't work out, I am wishing Mason Denaburg, who follows us on X, all the best in his next chapter, and am hoping for good health and luck to come his way!
What do you think of Mason Denaburg's transition to football? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.