Russell Wilson’s life reads like a cinematic sports tale. He may be known for his touchdowns, but to the New York Yankees, he is still their second baseman in pinstripes. Before he became a Super Bowl champion QB, he was a baseballer drafted by the Rockies and later claimed by the Yankees in 2018. Though football took center stage, his heart never strayed far from baseball.

At Yankees spring training, he crushed batting practice, batted for Aaron Judge, and faced future stars like Max Fried. Even now, while leading the New York Giants in the NFL, Wilson quietly keeps his Yankees ties alive. He is a two-team New York athlete, as on the field at MetLife, he commands the Giants, while in the clubhouse at Steinbrenner Field, his nameplate still hangs.

And, once again, Wilson quietly pledged his allegiance to the Yankees. New York Post Sports highlighted this through an IG post captioned, “People forget Russell Wilson is technically a Yankee.” The post includes a video where Wilson talks about his Yankees stint and facing Max Fried during his appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show. And, his Yankees loyalty is quite genuine.

Russell Wilson’s MLB rights have belonged to the Yankees since 2018, when they acquired them from the Texas Rangers. Before turning his entire attention to football, Wilson played in the minor leagues, hitting .229 with five home runs and 19 stolen bases in Low-A and Single-A. He was first selected by the Rockies in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft. Still, the dream never faded. In 2018, the Yankees invited Wilson to spring training, where he took batting practice, even appearing in a Grapefruit League game!

During the show, when Jimmy asked, “Well, I know you from, obviously, I’ve seen you play football… but you’re actually a New York Yankee,” Wilson affirmed, “I actually am a New York Yankee,” flashing a grin. “They own my rights. So you never know. If they need to turn a mean double play, I’ve got it,” he added. So while Russell now wears Big Blue on Sundays as the Giants’ starter, his baseball ties to the Bronx Bombers remain active.

Wilson also recalls the moment when Yankees GM Brian Cashman called him, calling it “one of the coolest experiences ever.” “Brian Cashman goes, ‘Russ, I got something to tell you.’ I said, ‘What’s that?’ He goes: ‘You’re a New York Yankee.’ I was like—‘What?!’ I’m like, ‘This is like the coolest experience ever,’” Wilson states in the video.

Wilson relived the thrill of Yankee spring training like it was yesterday. “So I go to spring training, I’m doing BP, I’m feeling great, just crushing home runs, I feel strong, I’m ready to go,” he said. That same spring, Yankees manager Aaron Boone looked over and said, “Hey Russ, you’re up.” Wilson replies, “Huh? OK, let’s go.” Boone informed him that he was batting for Aaron Judge, to which Wilson remembers replying sarcastically, “OK, I’ll get him outta here.”

Wilson faced Max Fried, then the top prospect for the Braves, now a Yankee pitcher. “First pitch, I hack away. Just miss it. Any time you foul it straight back, that’s when you know you’re on time.” Then, “He throws me a 12-to-6 breaker… Ump calls it a strike.” Battling on, Wilson recalled, “He throws me high cheese… I swing—just under it… I’m not goin’ down lookin’. No chance.” Wilson swung away, justifying the winning mindset he carries along with him.

Even Aaron Judge noted, “Every minute, everything [Wilson] does is for a purpose. The drills he does, it’s with a purpose,” as mentioned in ESPN’s article from 2018. As a kid, Wilson had dreamed of playing pro baseball and football. And, he eventually lived out both.

Russell Wilson’s New York homecoming

On May 18, 2025, just before the Yankees-Mets Subway Series finale, Wilson made an appearance at Yankee Stadium, not as a fan, but as a former member of the Yankees organization. “It’s cool, obviously being an Aaron Judge guy,” Wilson told SNY’s Anthony McCarron. “I was actually locker roommates with him in the clubhouse. I truly admire the great year he’s having,” he said, talking of his connection with Judge.

Making things sweeter, Judge surprised Wilson’s children during batting practice by gifting them his batting gloves. Wilson took to Instagram to share the news, saying, “Best Bday gifts for Future +++ More. Thanks Homie! Future can’t stop smiling for his 11th Bday.” Future, of course, is also a Yankee himself now.

For Wilson, being acquired by the Yankees was “a lifelong aspiration.” Now, as the Giants’ QB, he sees his move to New York football as a return to “a familiar scene” from his Yankees days. Breaking down what it means for him to play for New York, he said, “I’ve always, you know, been a Yankee, obviously being a New York Giant now, man, what a privilege, what an honor.” And, he acknowledges the fast-paced nature of the city, which resonates with him.

Now, Russell Wilson’s first regular-season game as a Giant is scheduled for September 7, 2025, against the Washington Commanders. And, he is ready to prove his New York energy once again!