- Ex-MLB outfielder Tyler Naquin signed minor league deal to pitch for Cleveland Guardians
- Fastball reaches 97 mph despite 14-year gap since last competitive pitching
- Ranked top 2% in outfield arm strength during final MLB seasons
- Guardians’ pitching development program key factor in career pivot
In a dramatic career reinvention, former MLB outfielder Tyler Naquin has embarked on an unprecedented transition to professional pitching with the Cleveland Guardians organization. The 33-year-old Texas native, who last took the mound competitively during a 2010 college scrimmage, is now hitting 97 mph fastballs during bullpen sessions at the team’s Arizona training facility.
Naquin’s unconventional path began in January 2024 when he spontaneously decided to pursue pitching during a gym session with trainer Clay Tillman. It started with playing catch in a Texas parking lot, Naquin revealed during a press conference. Next thing I knew, we were developing a full biomechanics program. His elite throwing arm – which ranked among MLB’s top 2% for outfielders in 2021 – provides unique advantages in velocity generation.
The Guardians’ investment highlights baseball’s growing trend of position player conversions. Cleveland’s Arizona complex has become a hub for mechanical overhauls, having successfully retrained three other position players as pitchers since 2022. Pitching coordinator Matt Blake noted: Tyler’s arm action and hip mobility suggest legitimate mid-rotation potential if command develops.
Industry analysts identify three critical success factors for Naquin’s transition: 1) Modern pitch-tracking tech enabling rapid mechanical adjustments 2) Reduced stigma around late-career position changes 3) MLB’s increased value on multi-inning relievers. His cutter-changeup combination already shows above-average spin rates according to Rapsodo metrics.
Financial terms remain undisclosed, but the minor league deal includes performance bonuses for MLB roster activation. Should Naquin reach the majors as a pitcher, he’d become the first player since Kenley Jansen to successfully transition from position player to high-leverage reliever after age 30.
