After piling up nearly 1,300 strikeouts as a hitter, Joey Gallo is trying to return the favor. The slugger is taking the next step in his conversion to pitching. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Gallo is now throwing for interested teams. Heyman noted back in December that more than one team was interested in the two-time All-Star.
Gallo last appeared in the big leagues with the Washington Nationals in 2024. He was in camp with the Chicago White Sox last year, but was released to pursue a transition to pitching. Gallo has spent the majority of his 10-year MLB career with the Texas Rangers. He posted back-to-back 40-homer seasons in 2018 and 2019. Gallo earned All-Star selections in 2019 and 2021.
Despite the power production, Gallo’s career as a hitter was marred by contact concerns. He has a massive 38% strikeout rate for his career. Gallo has a pair of 200+ strikeout campaigns on his ledger, including a league-leading 213 in 2021.
Joey Gallo Moving Forward With Conversion to Pitching
With minimal interest in his bat, Gallo will attempt a big-league return as a pitcher. He’s certainly flashed the tools to be an interesting hurler. Gallo earned a pair of Gold Glove awards for his work in right field (2020, 2021). Statcast recorded Gallo as having the strongest arm in the outfield in 2020. The righty thrower averaged 94.9 mph that season. Gallo was at 93.9 mph the following year, which ranked in the 99th percentile.
Texas selected Gallo out of high school in the 2012 draft. He immediately began producing huge power numbers in the minor leagues. Gallo launched 38 dingers at Single-A in 2013, then hit 42 bombs across two levels the following season. His 39.5% at Double-A was a red flag and suggested contact would always be an issue.
Gallo debuted with the Rangers in 2015. He popped six homers in 36 games, but struck out nearly half of the time (46.3% strikeout rate). Gallo was punched out in 19 of his 30 plate appearances in a brief stint with the club in 2016. Despite the contact challenges, Gallo emerged as a regular in the Texas outfield. He appeared in 145+ games in both 2017 and 2018.
After a strong first half in 2021, the Rangers dealt Gallo to the New York Yankees for Glenn Otto, Josh Smith, Ezequiel Duran, and Trevor Hauver. The Yankees also received Joely Rodriguez in the deal. Smith and Duran remain contributors for Texas in utility roles. Gallo flopped with New York, hitting under .160 across parts of two seasons. He bounced around to the Dodgers, Twins, and Nationals from there.
Recent Transitions Give Gallo Hope
Multiple former outfielders have recently made the move to the mound. Anthony Gose, who spent five years in the big leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers, made it back to the majors as a pitcher. The left-hander made 31 appearances as a pitcher with the Cleveland Guardians from 2021 to 2024.
The Guardians are trying to do the same thing with Tyler Naquin, who made the switch to pitching in 2025. Naquin signed with Cleveland as a pitcher after eight seasons as a big-league outfielder. The righty made 27 appearances in the minors last year, recording a 6.16 ERA.
MLB Teams Eyeing 40-Homer Slugger As Pitcher