Anthony Gose, a former major league outfielder who was converted to a pitcher earlier this year, was clocked throwing 99 mph in his minor league pitching debut Monday, according to a Detroit Tigers official.
Dan Lauer, the assistant general manager for the Tigers' Class-A affiliate, tweeted Monday night that the left-handed Gose threw a 99 mph fastball on his first pitch for the Lakeland Flying Tigers.
Anthony Gose making his debut pitching with our @LkdFlyingTigers. First pitch 99mph. @tigers @DetroitTigersPR @gose pic.twitter.com/wHkxJEZSPq
— Dan Lauer (@Dan_Lauer41) May 23, 2017
Gose allowed one run and struck out a batter in his one-inning relief appearance Monday.
Tigers vice president of player development Dave Littlefield told the Detroit Free Press that Gose would not play the outfield anymore but said the organization is "very optimistic" about Gose's work on the mound during extended spring training.
Gose previously had not pitched since high school but expressed interest in pitching at the end of spring training nearly two months ago. He was coming off a 2016 season when he batted a career-low .209 in 30 games with the Tigers.
Gose, 26, played parts of five seasons in the majors with the Tigers and the Blue Jays. He was a second-round draft pick of the Phillies in 2008 before being dealt to Houston in 2010 as part of the trade that sent star pitcher Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia.
