Ambidextrous Pitcher Pat Venditte Gets One Out With each Arm in Cactus League Debut

Switch hitters have been around almost as long as baseball has existed, but switch pitchers—- who throw both left handed and right handed, have been nearly nonexistent until now. This season Pat Venditte, an ambidextrous pitcher is in the Oakland Athletics’ camp on a minor league contract, and he made his first appearance of the season in the Athletics—San Francisco Giants spring training game in Mesa, Arizona, on March 3rd.

Venditte pitched right handed to Justin Maxwell, who grounded out to end the third inning, and followed that by striking out Brandon Belt pitching left handed to start the fourth.

Before joining the Oakland organization, Venditte pitched in the New York Yankees organization for seven years. Last year he split his time between Double A Trenton and Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, compiling a total record of 2-6 with a 2.64 ERA.