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Guardians' Tyler Naquin Describes Ongoing Transformation To Pitcher
Jul 19, 2019; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians right fielder Tyler Naquin (30) makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Kansas City Royals shortstop Humberto Arteaga (not pictured) during the sixth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Guardians' Tyler Naquin Describes Ongoing Transformation To Pitcher

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Tommy Wild  |  Last updated Aug 9, 2025 7:30 PM ET

Tyler Naquin had plenty of memorable moments with the organization when he played for them as an outfielder from 2016 to 2020. However, the former outfielder is making a return to the farm system, but not as a hitter.

Over the offseason, the Cleveland Guardians signed Naquin to a minor league contract, but as a pitcher.

The 34-year-old recently spoke about what inspired him to make the transition from the batter’s box to the pitcher's mound.

“Honestly, it was a very, it was a very short brief moment," said Naquin. "I was in a parking lot where I was training with Clay Tillman. Just kind of looking, just chatting it up in the truck and I said, ‘You know why don’t we just try to pitch now?’ He was like, ‘Yeah.’ So we grabbed a glove and started playing catch. I mean, it was as simple as that.”

It’s not easy for a player who’s never taken the mound to become a pitcher suddenly, and not everyone has the skillset or talent to do it. However, Naquin certainly has the potential to find success as a hard-throwing pitcher.

The outfielder was always known as having a strong arm and being a threat to throw runners out. During his last season in the big leagues, he ranked in the 90th percentile in arm strength.

Naquin has 1,668 career MLB at-bats under his belt, and he said all that experience “doesn’t hurt, I can tell you that,” as he continues his journey back to the big leagues as a pitcher.

What Naquin is a big fan of is now being in control of an at-bat.

“Being able to throw any pitch at any time is definitely a weapon, just from facing elite pitchers for a long time. It’s a comfortable feeling, especially being on the other side. Like, now I know, if I’m landing stuff, I’m now in control. I’m not reactionary. Obviously, some pitches will be based off other pitches and set-up pitches, and stuff like that, but it’s a good feeling being out there.”

Talking about being a pitcher is one thing, but the numbers are another. So far, Naquin's minor league stats on the mound are pretty encouraging. He started the season at Cleveland’s Arizona Complex and was later assigned to the Lake County Captains (High-A) at the beginning of July.

So far at High-A, Naquin has pitched in seven games (9.0 innings), has a 2.00 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, struck out five batters, issued four walks, and has a couple of holds, too.

He certainly still has a long way to go before throwing a pitcher in an MLB game. However, the mechanics, stats, and early returns are inspiring, and like his journey back to the majors, could be a reality at some point in the future. 

Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage


This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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