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Notre Dame WR Torii Hunter Jr. signs pro baseball contract

Sam Cooper
College football writer

Notre Dame wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. signed a professional contract over the weekend. But don’t worry, Irish fans, the senior will still suit up for the blue and gold this fall.

Hunter Jr., the son of five-time MLB all-star and nine-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter, was selected in 23rd round of the MLB draft by the Los Angeles Angels a few weeks ago. On Saturday, the younger Hunter signed a contract with the club.

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Hunter Jr. played in 23 games as a member of the Notre Dame baseball team in 2014 and 2015. Signing the deal puts an end to his collegiate baseball career. However, he can continue playing football because of an NCAA rule that allows players to play professionally in one sport while keeping their amateur status in another. Thusly, Hunter Jr., an outfielder, could play in the minor leagues for the Angels this summer and return to Notre Dame in the fall.

For now, Hunter Jr.’s focus is on football. His mother, Katrina Hunter, told the South Bend Tribune that her son will not join an Angels’ affiliate this summer. He will stay on campus and take classes as he works toward earning his degree, she said. Hunter Jr. is on pace to graduate in December, Irish head coach Brian Kelly told the Tribune.

Hunter Jr. has 35 catches for 438 yards and three touchdowns in his Notre Dame career. He took a redshirt in 2013, so he has two seasons of football eligibility remaining. With Corey Robinson medically retiring due to concussions, Hunter Jr. is the most-experienced receiver on the roster and is expected to top the depth chart when the season rolls around.

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“Whether he comes back for another year or not, we’ll see how that goes. But if he has a really, really good year this year, then he can take stock as to what the best decision is for him,” Kelly said.

Notre Dame begins preseason camp on Aug. 6 before opening its season at Texas on Sept. 4 in a Sunday night matchup.

For more Notre Dame news, visit BlueAndGold.com.

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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!