 According to "Baseball America", he could have played college football as a wide receiver if he had not focused on baseball.Span was selected by the Twins with the 20th overall pick 2002 Major League Baseball draft from Tampa Catholic.Span turned down just over $2 million from the Colorado Rockies in a predraft deal (who instead drafted Jeff Francis with the eighth pick) and his fall to the 20th pick cost him around $800,000.