INDIANAPOLIS -- His father was known for wearing his baseball cap backward. He had a swing of beauty and no problem climbing center-field walls to rob stunned hitters of home runs.
But Trey Griffey didn’t try to follow in the footsteps of his father, Hall of Fame baseball player Ken Griffey Jr., by making it in the majors.
Trey does, however, want to be a professional athlete, like his father and his grandfather, Ken Griffey Sr.
Trey just wants to do it in the NFL. That's the case despite Trey's being selected by the Seattle Mariners, his father's former team, in the 24th round, his father's jersey number, of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft. Trey hasn’t played organized baseball since the summer between eighth and ninth grades.
“I didn’t have a love for [baseball] like I have for football,” Trey said. “I love football. Love everything about it. And, just like my dad, my dad loved baseball, so he took the baseball route.”
Trey is one of 73 players taking part in Indianapolis Colts rookie minicamp this weekend. He’s an undrafted free agent out of Arizona trying to catch the eyes of the Colts' coaching staff.
“Trey's got great bloodlines, obviously," Colts coach Chuck Pagano said.
It didn’t take long to realize Trey has been pelted with questions about his father for years. His answers were brief and repetitive.
Ken Griffey Jr., who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, played 22 seasons in the majors with Seattle, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox. He finished his career with 630 home runs, 13 All-Star appearances and 10 Gold Glove awards.
“I just don’t think about it,” Trey said. “I let other people think about it. Go out there and do what I have to do. It is what it is.”
Trey had 23 receptions for 382 yards and two touchdowns last season with Arizona. He finished his career there with 79 catches for 1,241 yards and six scores.
He’s considered a long shot to make the Colts: T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief are locked in as the starters, with Kamar Aiken and Phillip Dorsett as the third and fourth receivers and Quan Bray having the inside track as return specialist and fifth receiver.
“The Colts were the first to call,” Trey said, “and when you think about the Colts, like I said, you think about championships. You think about the way that they carry themselves. So why wouldn’t you go to Indianapolis?”