Shohei Ohtani has taken MLB by storm and captured the imagination of fans by becoming a two-way sensation, excelling both at the plate and on the mound, and stretching the idea of what a player can do.
Seemingly every year, there are MLB draft prospects who likewise capture the attention of teams with their ability to both hit and pitch as prep and college stars. This summer's class is no different as two projected high first-round picks, Florida 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone and Mississippi high school SS/RHP Konnor Griffin, are good enough both ways to give teams a decision to make.
"If both of them had never touched a bat in their lives, they'd still go in the top 50 picks as pitchers," a scout told ESPN last week.
But remember, pitching and hitting at the professional level is hard. Even Babe Ruth was only a true two-way player for two seasons, and nobody other than Ohtani has come close to starring at both at the same time. Teams hesitate to commit to developing prospects who truly split their time in pro ball. The reality is that almost every player who enters the draft as a two-way player will become either a pitcher or position player well before reaching the majors.
Deciding which area to specialize in isn't easy when a player has seven-figure talent at two very different skills, but new tools have made it easier for teams to make the call, and while even the best two-way stars are unlikely to become "The Next Ohtani" in the majors, being able to excel both on the mound and at the plate adds value to a prospect's draft profile.
Here's an inside look at how the two-way-player decision plays out in MLB draft rooms through the cases of this year's most intriguing candidates.
