About eight months after Joey Gallo expressed his intentions to continue his MLB career as a pitcher, we got our first look at the slugger on the mound. Well, on social media, at least.
Gallo, who turned 32 last month, posted a 15-second clip on X of him delivering three pitches. You can’t see the catcher in the video, but you can definitely hear Gallo’s pitches popping the mitt.
Apparently it was enough to garner serious interest in the former slugger as a pitcher. According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, Gallo is "drawing interest from several teams" as a pitcher.
Gallo, who has two 40-homer seasons on his ledger and has bashed 208 dingers in the Majors, last appeared in a regular-season game with the 2024 Nationals. He hit just .161 over 223 at-bats that season. From 2022-24, Gallo slashed .166/.286/.379 with a 40.6% strikeout rate while playing for the Yankees, Dodgers, Twins and Nationals.
That rough stretch followed a generally successful run with the Rangers in which he won two Gold Glove Awards, made two All-Star teams and was one of baseball’s biggest long-ball threats.
Gallo latched on with the White Sox for Spring Training this year, but the club released him once he stated his desire to become a pitcher.
At his peak, the 6-foot-5 Gallo possessed one of the strongest outfield arms in the game. In 2021, his 93.9 mph average arm strength ranked as the fifth fastest in MLB (minimum 50 throws). In 2023, Gallo’s last season before becoming a first baseman primarily, he averaged 89.8 mph on his throws.