Connaughton hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jeff Samardzija, another two-sport Notre Dame athlete who cashed in as a baseball player. Connaughton has been a three-year starter for the Fighting Irish basketball team and had his best season as a junior, but the 6-foot-5, 214-pounder lacks the explosiveness or shooting range to be an NBA prospect and has a brighter future on the diamond. He has 30 career college starts and 155 innings, and he pitched in the Cape Cod League last summer, but he remains raw, getting by mostly on athleticism and arm strength. He pitches off an above-average fastball that has future plus potential. He'll reach 94 mph regularly but generally sits in the 88-92 mph range, and the pitch has good life. He lacks fastball command and confidence in his secondary stuff, though at times his curve shows promise. He shows grit and competes well on the mound, grinding through an eight-inning start (and getting the win) against Clemson with eight walks and no strikeouts early in May. Connaughton could sign a deal that allows him to return to Notre Dame for one more basketball season before becoming a full-time pro pitcher in 2015.