Former Eight-Year MLB Outfielder Tyler Naquin Makes High-A Pitching Debut with Lake County Captains
MWL Lake County Captains

Former Eight-Year MLB Outfielder Tyler Naquin Makes High-A Pitching Debut with Lake County Captains

Published on July 10, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
Lake County Captains News Release


EASTLAKE, Ohio - On Tuesday, July 8, the Cleveland Guardians Player Development System announced that RHP Tyler Naquin has been promoted to the Lake County Captains from the Arizona Complex League (ACL) Guardians.

Naquin made his High-A debut for Lake County just one day later on Wednesday, July 9 in a road game against the West Michigan Whitecaps. The 34-year-old struck out the first batter he faced, permitting no hits and one walk in a scoreless eighth inning of relief out of the Captains bullpen (16 pitches, eight strikes).

This marks the Iola, Texas native's second stint with Lake County. He began his professional baseball career in 2012, when Cleveland selected him as an outfielder in the first round (15 th overall) of the 2012 MLB Draft out of Texas A&M. Shortly after, Naquin played five games for the Captains during the 2012 Midwest League Playoffs, batting .353 (6-for-17) with five runs scored, two doubles, one RBI, and a .921 OPS.

The left-handed hitter eventually made his Major League debut with Cleveland in 2016, finishing third in the 2016 American League Rookie of the Year voting. Naquin also authored one of the most memorable moments in Cleveland Baseball history that year, hitting a walk-off inside-the-park home run versus the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 19, 2016. He later tallied four hits, two doubles, and two RBI during Cleveland's run to the 2016 World Series, playing in 11 games during the 2016 MLB Postseason and helping Cleveland win its first American League pennant since 1997.

Naquin eventually spent eight years in MLB as an outfielder, playing for Cleveland (2016-20), the Cincinnati Reds (2021-22), the New York Mets (2022), and the Chicago White Sox (2023). He batted .263 with 439 hits, 97 doubles, 12 triples, 61 home runs, 237 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and a .761 OPS in 562 career regular season games.

But after being released by the White Sox following the 2023 season, Naquin decided to change gears in hopes of reviving his professional baseball career as a right-handed pitcher. After not playing in 2024, the Guardians signed him to a Minor League contract as a pitcher on March 6, 2025.

Naquin spoke to media this past March about his transition from outfielder to pitcher. He explained that he decided to make the conversion back in January of 2024 after a conversation with his friend Clay Tillman, which took place in the parking lot of Tillman's gym in College Station, Texas.

"I just looked at him, I said, 'I think I'm gonna pitch.' We went and picked up a glove, and we started playing catch," Naquin said.

Over the last few years of his initial Major League tenure, Naquin was one of MLB's premier outfield arms. From 2020-22, he averaged 92.8 mph on throws from the outfield. Additionally, his 11 outfield assists with Cleveland in 2019 ranked fifth in MLB.

He was a two-way player during his high school career at Klein Collins High School in Spring, Texas. Back in 2008, his fastball usually ranged between 88 and 91 mph and topped out at 92 mph while playing for the Houston Heat travel team at the 2008 WWBA (World Wood Bat Association) World Championship in Jupiter, Florida.

Naquin began the 2025 campaign with the ACL Guardians, where he made 13 relief appearances. The right-hander tallied a 5.14 ERA, eight strikeouts to 11 walks, and a 1.36 WHIP, but held opposing hitters to a .170 batting average in 14 innings pitched. Nine of his 13 outings were scoreless, and he recorded a 0.96 ERA over his final eight appearances, permitting just one run on one hit in 9.1 innings of work.

Prior to his 2025 stint with the ACL Guardians, Naquin told media this past March that he had last pitched competitively in 2010, which was during a Texas A&M scrimmage back in his college days.

But after his scoreless High-A debut on the mound for the Captains, the 34-year-old has officially set sail on the newest chapter of his professional baseball voyage, in hopes of one day returning to the Major League level as a pitcher.

After four more road games against the 2025 Midwest League East First Half Division Champion West Michigan Whitecaps and the MLB All-Star Break, Lake County's next home game will be on Friday, July 18 at 7 p.m. The Captains will open a three-game set versus the Fort Wayne TinCaps, where it will be Women in Sports Night at the ballpark with a Fireworks Friday postgame fireworks show.

All seven games will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App and MiLB.com, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.

Tickets for Captains home games are available for purchase at milb.com/lake-county.

Check out the Lake County Captains Statistics

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