At one point in time, Anthony Gose was a promising prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays system. After originally trying to acquire Gose from the Philadelphia Phillies as part of the Roy Halladay deal, the Jays finally got a hold of him after a trade with the Houston Astros.
He was one of the top prospects in the Jays’ pipeline, and he entered the 2012 season as the MLB’s 39th ranked overall prospect.
Unfortunately for the Jays, Gose never really panned out as a major leaguer. While Gose showcased world class speed on the bases, his bat never fully developed as a member of the Jays. Over the span of 202 games, Gose batted a paltry .234 while stealing 34 bases.
While you hate to see promising talent fizzle out, Gose’s story wasn’t over yet. Instead of attempting to continue as an outfielder, he tapped into another skill set: pitching. Now a member of the Cleveland Indians organization, he’s being rewarded for his 33 innings of work in which he struck out 49 batters by getting the call back up to the MLB.
To make the story even more interesting, add in the fact that his manager in Cleveland is DeMarlo Hale. Blue Jays fans may remember Hale for his days in Toronto as the Blue Jays bench coach.
What a journey.
(H/T Jon Morosi)
