In a stunning and unprecedented development, multiple sources have confirmed that veteran catcher Carson Kelly has secretly signed a groundbreaking deal to become Major League Baseball’s first official two-way catcher-pitcher, a role that could redefine how teams approach roster construction and player development.
Kelly, 30, who has built a solid reputation over the years for his defensive consistency, game-calling acumen, and occasional pop at the plate, is now taking on an entirely new challenge: pitching at the major league level. The move, which has been kept under wraps for months, reportedly comes after years of offseason bullpen work, private training with pitching coaches, and analytics-driven development behind the scenes.
According to insiders close to the situation, Kelly began experimenting with pitching during his rehabilitation from a previous injury. What started as casual long toss quickly evolved into structured bullpen sessions and simulated games. Word of his surprising command, sharp-breaking slider, and deceptive delivery began circulating internally within the organization. Front office executives quietly green-lit an exploratory plan last season, allowing Kelly to begin developing a limited pitch arsenal while continuing to catch and study hitters.
“He’s always had a great arm from behind the plate, but once we saw how well he could locate pitches and manipulate spin, we knew we had to take this seriously,” said one anonymous team staffer. “What makes this different from other two-way experiments is that Carson already has elite game-calling knowledge. He understands hitters better than most pitchers do. Now he gets to use that knowledge from the mound.”
Unlike traditional two-way players, Kelly is not expected to start games on the mound. Instead, he
