Hitters who became pitchers

[MilkSpiller22]

We all know about some pitchers who were converted into offensive players, but how about the opposite...

I only know of one and that is Tim wakefield... he was drafted as a 1B, but was never going to make the big show with his bat, and then wowed the pirates with his knuckle ball...

Is there any others??

 

[BigDDude]

We all know about some pitchers who were converted into offensive players, but how about the opposite...

I only know of one and that is Tim wakefield... he was drafted as a 1B, but was never going to make the big show with his bat, and then wowed the pirates with his knuckle ball...

Is there any others??

There are quite a few actually. The reason they are not very well known is that usually this change happens in the minors, meaning it is not a story or news to us, the general public.

The threee I can think off the top are Joe Nathan, Sergio Santos, & Sean Doolittle. I know Nathan started his baseball life as a SS, and I think it ws the same for Santos. If not, then Santos was a catcher. I want to think that Trevor Hoffman fits this bill as well, and, if so, we have a trend.


Former position players turn into relievers / closers.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

But i wonder if besides wakefield if there is any other SP who were drafted as a position player..

 

[BigDDude]

But i wonder if besides wakefield if there is any other SP who were drafted as a position player..

Not that I can think of. And, as Wakefield did it with more or less a gimick pitch, we may be on to a reason why this just does not happen.

There are a lot of folks more knowledgeable than I, so maybe one of them will chime in with some info here.

 

[navamind]

Bob Lemon was a 3B/OF in the minors before becoming a pitcher.

 

[romeo212000]

Alexi ogando was an OF and Texas picked him up and decided to see if he could throw a baseball once it was obvious he wasn't going to be hitter.

 

[Chef99]

We all know about some pitchers who were converted into offensive players, but how about the opposite...

I only know of one and that is Tim wakefield... he was drafted as a 1B, but was never going to make the big show with his bat, and then wowed the pirates with his knuckle ball...

Is there any others??

Carlos Marmol was an OF/SS that was converted to a pitcher. Apparently it didn't work.

 

[Omar 382]

the great jimmie foxx pitched in 9 games in his last major league season for the 1945 phillies. he was an impressive 1-0 with an era of 1.59 over 22.2 innings.

 

[The Cubs fan]

Carlos Marmol was an OF/SS that was converted to a pitcher. Apparently it didn't work.

I thought Marmol was a catcher. I think a team should take a chance on him, pay him very very little, an invite to spring training perhaps, as much as I hate Marmol when he is good he is good. In 2012 Once the Cubs put him back in the closing role in late july/august he was very good the rest of the season. And if he is bad marmol, since it was invite to spring training just cut him.

 

[fordman84]

Alexi ogando was an OF and Texas picked him up and decided to see if he could throw a baseball once it was obvious he wasn't going to be hitter.

Yup. Joe Nathan was a SS in college I think. Drafted and then changed to pitcher.