Joey Gallo pitching, explained: Why former first baseman, outfielder is moving to mound after White Sox release

Joey Gallo has struggled at the plate throughout his MLB career, but his power has kept him around as a journeyman for various clubs. 

With a career average of .194 that falls well below the Mendoza line, Gallo’s lack of contact at the dish has been well-documented throughout his career. And at age 31, he’s been on the decline as an everyday MLB player for a few years now.

But Gallo, who spent the 2024 season with the Nationals, seems to have a new solution to his hitting struggles: Becoming a pitcher. Following his release from the White Sox on Sunday morning, Gallo posted online that he’d be heading to the mound in a rare, unexpected announcement.

Here’s what to know about Gallo’s transition into pitching.

MORE: Why the Rangers removed an accidentally vuglar hat off their team website

Joey Gallo pitching, explained

Gallo was granted his unconditional release by the White Sox on Sunday morning, per MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. He had originally signed a minor league deal with Chicago, but he didn’t stick around long with the team. 

In many ways, the news seemed to be a new low for Gallo. He’s had an up-and-down career, but at age 31, he struggled to find a home in free agency as his numbers at the plate declined even further in 2024. He’s been on four different teams since his exit from the Rangers in 2021, consistently showcasing his sky-high strikeout rate with some occasional power.

As a two-time All-Star being released by a White Sox squad that lost 121 games in 2024, the most in modern MLB history, it was a sign that Gallo’s career may be done, with no extra chance to re-establish his talent. But perhaps his release was just a new beginning.

In the hours following his release, Gallo posted a video on X captioned “It’s been fun outfield” with some of his defensive highlights. 

It’s been fun outfield. ✌🏼 pic.twitter.com/Xck4WON6SB

— Joey Gallo (@JoeyGallo24) March 16, 2025

He then added some context, writing “Just to be clear, I will be pitching.”

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported a few hours later that Gallo requested his release from Chicago and is now seeking a team to pitch for. Whether a team takes a chance on his arm remains to be seen, though.

Based on Gallo’s social media post at a time where his MLB career has reached a new rock bottom, he seems to be ready to try something new.

Joey Gallo pitching experience

Gallo has no professional experience as a pitcher. Per Baseball Reference, he’s appeared in MLB games as a first baseman, third baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter previously.

However, like many MLB players, Gallo did pitch in his youth. Prior to being selected in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft, Gallo attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, where he pitched and played third base, per MaxPreps.

Here’s a look at Gallo’s high school pitching stats, according to MaxPreps:

MORE: Why Mookie Betts may not play in the Dodgers’ season-opener

Joey Gallo MLB stats

Gallo has had some rough numbers as a hitter throughout his MLB career as a largely one-dimension player. But with declining power, those numbers have dropped off even more.

Here’s a look at his career stats:

MLB hitters to become pitchers

Gallo isn’t the only baseball player to make the switch from hitting to pitching, but very few MLB players make that transition mid-way through their professional career. 

There are plenty of star pitchers, such as Jacob DeGrom and Kenley Jansen, who were originally drafted as position players but switched to pitching while in the minor leagues. In the current age of baseball, there’s even a star two-way player, with Shohei Ohtani pitching and hitting at an elite level.

However, finding players in the current age who have reached the majors as a position player, then successfully became a pitcher, is a tough task. Anthony Gose is a more recent example and more directly comparable to Gallo’s situation.

As an outfielder, Gose was drafted by the Phillies in 2008, became a strong prospect, spent time in the MLB with the Blue Jays and Tigers, then transitioned into pitching. After being sent to the minor leagues by Detroit in 2017, Gose began working as a pitcher. He’s taken the mound for various teams as a minor leaguer since, but he hasn’t returned to the majors.

Adam Loewen is another player who transitioned between pitching and being a position player. Although his last stint in an MLB system came in 2018, Loewen pitched for the Orioles from 2006-08, spent time in the minor leagues as a position player, then returned to pitching and reached the major leagues once again in 2015.