In baseball, a switch-pitcher is an ambidextrous pitcher who is able to pitch with either the right or left hand from the pitcher's mound. [lower-alpha 1]
Four 19th-century pitchers are known to have thrown with both hands:
No pitcher in the American League or National League is known to have switch pitched in a game during the 20th century until Greg A. Harris of the Montreal Expos did so in a game in 1995. [8] [9]
A 1940 newspaper article noted that Jimmy Brown, who played in the major leagues between 1937 and 1946, primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals, said that he learned to throw with either arm at a young age after breaking his right arm and was a switch pitcher during high school. [10] Brown played exclusively as an infielder during his major-league career. [11]
Switch pitcher Larry Kimbrough, whose career in Negro league baseball spanned from 1942 to 1948, was a natural left-hander, but he learned to throw right-handed as a child while recuperating from an injury. [12] He said, "I could throw them as hard left-handed as I could right-handed, with a better curveball left-handed." [12] Independent accounts verifying that Kimbrough operated as a switch pitcher during his baseball career are lacking, but Kimbrough claimed that he earned a complete game victory in 1943 pitching from both sides.
A 1944 newspaper article noted that Cal McLish, then a right-handed rookie pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers, could throw with either arm, [13] but there is no record of McLish ever doing so in a major-league game. McLish claimed to have thrown one pitch left-handed during a game in Venezuela. [14]
Right-handed pitcher Jorge Rubio, who pitched for the California Angels in 1966 and 1967, claimed that he had experimented as a switch pitcher in high school and could throw with "the same speed left-handed" but with less control. Following the 1967 season, he pitched some games left-handed in winter league baseball to rest his right arm and continued doing so into spring training. [15]
Harris, a natural right-hander, felt by 1986 that he was capable of pitching with either arm in a game. [16] He did not throw left-handed in a regular-season game until September 28, 1995, the penultimate game of his career. [17] Pitching for the Montreal Expos against the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning, Harris retired Reggie Sanders pitching right-handed, then switched to his left hand for the next two hitters, Hal Morris and Eddie Taubensee, who were both left-handed batters. [18] Harris walked Morris, but got Taubensee to ground out. [18] Harris then went back to his right hand to retire Bret Boone to end the inning. [18]
Pat Venditte, a major-league pitcher from 2015 to 2020, regularly pitched with both arms. [19] [20] Venditte was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2008, and pitched for six different major-league teams as a relief pitcher, appearing in 61 total games while compiling a 4.73 earned run average (ERA). [21]
Anthony Seigler, drafted 23rd overall by the Yankees in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, [22] was both a switch pitcher and switch hitter in high school. [23] He chose to play professionally as a position player, primarily as a catcher, and as of 2024 [update] is still active in the Yankees farm system. [24]
Dutch-born switch pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft and signed with the Mariners. Both Cijntje and the Mariners stated at the time of his signing that he would continue to switch pitch in professional baseball. [25]
Newspaper articles in 1947 noted that freshman Roy Gibbons [lower-alpha 2] of the Texas A&M Aggies was a switch pitcher. [26] [27] Gibbons was later ruled ineligible as a college player, because he had played in a professional minor league. [28] Baseball-Reference indicates Gibbons played for the Tucson Cowboys, but detail is lacking. [lower-alpha 3] There is no record of Gibbons pitching ambidextrously for Tucson. [31]
The Atlanta Braves drafted switch pitcher Brandon Berdoll of Temple Junior College in Texas in the 27th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft, [32] [33] although he never played professionally. [34]
Matt Brunnig was a switch pitcher for the Harvard Crimson baseball team, debuting as a freshman in 2003. [35] He could throw faster than 85 miles per hour (137 km/h) left-handed and faster than 90 miles per hour (140 km/h) right-handed. [32] Brunnig only pitched with both arms in the same game a few times. He pitched more from the right side as a starter and pitched some relief as a lefty, although he did start one game left-handed. When playing the outfield after a start, he would typically play the position with the other arm to rest the arm he just pitched with.[ citation needed ] He only pitched right-handed as a senior in 2006. [36] [37]
Venditte pitched for the Creighton Bluejays baseball team, only pitching right-handed during his freshman season of 2005. He then began switch pitching during his sophomore season of 2006. [38]
Ryan Perez of Judson University made national headlines in 2014 playing collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Perez received the league's annual all-star game MVP award after a dominating performance pitching from both sides. [39] [40] [41] [42] Perez played professionally in the New York–Penn League during 2015–2016 and in the Mexican League in 2018, apparently pitching only left-handed. [43]
Cijntje, before signing with the Mariners, pitched for the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2023 and 2024, pitching with both his right and left hands. [44] In 2024, he received national recognition as a second-team All American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association [45] and Perfect Game. [46] Before college, he was also a switch pitcher and switch hitter in American high school [47] and for Curaçao in the Little League World Series. [48]
Switch pitchers are commonly taught to throw ambidextrously at a young age. For instance, Venditte's father trained him in ambidextrous throwing from the age of three, [49] Brunnig's father taught him from age five, [20] and Cijntje began training when he was six years old. [50]
MLB right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish throws with his left hand when training to keep both arms strong and balanced, but has not pitched left-handed in a game. [51]
There have been several instances of switch pitchers pitching to switch hitters, which can result in delay or confusion as both players may try to gain an advantage. Hitters traditionally feel they have an advantage by batting from the opposite side of the plate from the pitcher's throwing arm (e.g. batting left-handed when facing a right-handed pitcher), and pitchers traditionally feel they have an advantage by throwing with the same arm as the batter hits from (e.g. throwing right-handed to a right-handed batter).
In a minor-league game in the Western Association on July 23, 1928, shortstop Paul Richards was called in to pitch for the Muskogee Chiefs against the Topeka Jayhawks. [52] Richards pitched both right-handed and left-handed, including facing a switch hitter. This briefly resulted in the pitcher and batter switching hands and batter's boxes, respectively, several times until Richards broke the stalemate by alternating hands with each pitch, regardless of where the batter positioned himself. [53] The batter walked. [54]
In 2008, while with the minor league Staten Island Yankees, Venditte faced switch hitter Ralph Henriquez of the Brooklyn Cyclones. [55] When Venditte switched his modified glove to his left hand in order to pitch right-handed, Henriquez switched to batting left-handed, and a series of changes continued for several minutes until the umpires and managers conferred and decided to allow only one change of side by each player during the at bat. [55] Henriquez struck out, batting right-handed as Venditte pitched as a righty. [55] This incident prompted the Professional Baseball Umpires Corporation (PBUC) to issue a new rule about switch-pitching, [56] which MLB later adopted. [57] Switch pitchers must indicate which hand they will use to pitch, "by wearing his glove on his non-throwing hand and placing his foot on the pitching rubber." The pitcher must continue using this hand for the duration of the at bat, with exceptions allowed in the event of injury or the use of a pinch hitter. After the pitcher makes his choice, the batter can then select which side of the plate to bat from. [57] This rule is colloquially known as the "Pat Venditte Rule." [58]
In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided that he made an honest effort to avoid the pitch, although failure to do so is rarely called by an umpire. Being hit by a pitch is often caused by a batter standing too close to, or "crowding", home plate.
Ambidexterity is the ability to use both the right and left hand equally well. When referring to objects, the term indicates that the object is equally suitable for right-handed and left-handed people. When referring to humans, it indicates that a person has no marked preference for the use of the right or left hand.
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum. There are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and the closer.
In baseball, a switch hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed, usually right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers, although there are some exceptions.
In baseball, a cut fastball or cutter is a type of fastball that breaks toward the pitcher's glove-hand side, as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a four-seam fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more movement than a typical fastball. Some pitchers use a cutter to prevent hitters from expecting their regular fastballs. A common technique for throwing a cutter is to use a four-seam fastball grip with the baseball set slightly off center in the hand. A batter hitting a cutter pitch often achieves only soft contact and an easy out due to the pitch's movement keeping the ball away from the bat's sweet spot. The cutter is typically 2–5 mph slower than a pitcher's four-seam fastball. In 2010, the average pitch classified as a cutter by PITCHf/x thrown by a right-handed pitcher was 88.6 mph; the average two-seamer was 90.97 mph.
In baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base.
In baseball, the lefty-righty switch is a maneuver by which a player who may be at a disadvantage against an opponent of a certain handedness is replaced by a substitute who is better suited for the situation.
Cross-dominance, also known as mixed-handedness, hand confusion, or mixed dominance, is a motor skill manifestation in which a person favors one hand for some tasks and the other hand for others, or a hand and the contralateral leg. For example, a cross-dominant person might write with the left hand and do everything else with the right one, or manage and kick a ball preferentially with the left leg.
Overall, being mixed handed seems to result in better performance than being strongly handed for sports such as basketball, ice hockey, and field hockey. What these sports have in common is that they require active body movements and also an ability to respond to either side. The situation is reversed for racquet sports such as tennis. Individuals with crossed hand-eye preference seem to be much better at gymnastics, running, and basketball because of the way in which congruent and crossed sided individuals position their bodies.
Greg Allen Harris is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 15 years, 1981–1995. Harris pitched in 703 career games, starting 98. He pitched for eight different teams, including the San Diego Padres when they lost the 1984 World Series to the Detroit Tigers in five games.
Anthony John Mullane, nicknamed "Count" and "the Apollo of the Box", was an Irish professional baseball player who pitched for seven major-league teams during 1881–1894. He is best known as a switch pitcher who could throw with either hand, and for having one of the highest career win totals of pitchers not in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Pat McMahon is an American former college and professional baseball coach who currently works in the New York Yankees' organization.
Patrick Michael Venditte Jr. is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Miami Marlins. After attending Creighton University, Venditte was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2008. He signed with the Athletics as a free agent before the 2015 season and made his MLB debut that year.
Jorge Jesús Rubio Chávez was a Mexican professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball in 1966 and 1967.
Blake Aubry Swihart is an American professional baseball catcher and outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 205 pounds (93 kg), he throws right-handed and is a switch hitter.
On September 16, 1988, Tom Browning of the Cincinnati Reds pitched the 12th perfect game in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, blanking the Los Angeles Dodgers 1–0 at Riverfront Stadium. Browning became the first left-handed pitcher to pitch a perfect game since Sandy Koufax's perfect game in 1965. As of 2024, this perfect game is also the only one in Major League history to be pitched on artificial turf.
Larry Nathaniel Kimbrough, nicknamed "Schoolboy", was an American pitcher in Negro league baseball during the 1940s. A rare switch pitcher, he played for the Philadelphia Stars and the Homestead Grays. He also made appearances as an outfielder and infielder.
Jean Michael "Jurrangelo" Cijntje is a Dutch-born Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. He is a switch pitcher, having the rare ability to pitch proficiently with both his right and left arms. He was drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 Major League Baseball draft by the Mariners.
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