Dodgers sign Vikings safety Jarrad Page to a minor-league deal

Vikings safety Jarrad Page signed a minor-league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Page, 27, was drafted by the Brewers in 2002 and has played six seasons in the NFL. The switch-hitting outfielder played football and baseball at UCLA.

Vikings safety Jarrad Page is following in the footsteps of NFL defensive backs Deion Sanders and Brian Jordan, signing a minor-league deal with Dodgers, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.

Page, 27, went to a Dodgers tryout last week and apparently played well enough to interest the Dodgers. But make no mistake about it, he's not just some raw athlete looking for a little fun, Page played baseball at UCLA, starting 57 games in center field in 2004 and 2005. A switch-hitter, Page hit a home run in his first collegiate at-bat in 2004. He was a fifth-round pick of the Brewers in the 2002 draft. The Rockies drafted him in the 32nd round of the 2005 draft and the Angels took him in the seventh round the 2006 draft, but he stuck with football each time.

Page was drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft and has played for the Chiefs, Patriots and Eagles, in addition to the Vikings. He was the Eagles' starting strong saftey this past season before being benched in week five and then released in November. He signed with the Vikings and played in five games with Minnesota. His contract with Minnesota will expire on Tuesday, so he'd likely be out looking for a job anyway.

Is it a longshot that Page ever plays for the Dodgers or any MLB team? Sure. But it's still going to be interesting to watch to see if he does play in the minors and if he does, how quickly he can adjust to professional baseball.

The Dodgers also signed right-handed pitcher Blake Johnson and infielder Brandon Mims at the tryout, and also apparently passed on batboy Francisco "Chico" Herrera.

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