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JUPITER — Chris Hatcher's mission with the Marlins this season - to make history by becoming the first major-league catcher to become a big-league pitcher - started almost by accident.
One day at Class AA Jacksonville in 2009, Hatcher recalled, he was "just goofing around" in the bullpen with another catcher while they waited for two relievers to finish stretching.
In his catching gear, Hatcher trotted to the mound and told the other catcher, "Get down." Hatcher then fired away.
"My stuff was moving," he said. "It had some life. I was like, 'Wow!' '
Reid Cornelius, the Suns' pitching coach at the time, had the same reaction. He told minor-league pitching coordinator Wayne Rosenthal, who was further intrigued when he saw Hatcher throw in the bullpen a few weeks later.
Hatcher wasn't a novice - he had pitched at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. He didn't expect to make his living as a pitcher but was game when the Suns needed an emergency reliever later in the season.
"I pitched to one batter and got him out,' he said.
Hatcher, 25, came into last season focused on catching. But one night last June, he had just returned to the clubhouse from a doctor's appointment when a clubhouse attendant burst through the door.
"It was the ninth inning. I was still dressed in street clothes,' Hatcher recalled. "They were like, 'Dude, get dressed. You might be pitching.' '
A half-hour later, Hatcher became Jacksonville's seventh pitcher of the game and set down the side 1-2-3 in the 11th. The Suns scored in the bottom of the inning to give Hatcher the win.
Last Sept. 19, with Marlins catchers John Baker and Brett Hayes out with season-ending injuries and Ronny Paulino suspended for violating the substance-abuse policy, Hatcher made his major-league debut as a pinch-hitter, striking out to end a 13-3 loss to the Cubs.
He had almost come on earlier in the inning as a pitcher; he was warming while the Cubs were pounding Burke Badenhop for four runs.
Hatcher wound up playing in five games for the Marlins, making two starts behind the plate, throwing out his only would-be base stealer and going hitless in eight plate appearances.
Then in November, he got a call from Jim Fleming, the Marlins' vice president for player development. Hatcher feared he was being released, but Fleming wanted Hatcher to try a new job.
The organization could use another live arm, and Hatcher last season hit only .202 for the Suns and .167 for Class AAA New Orleans.
"We thought this was a very good time to try this experiment, and do it in spring training, and have a lot of time to work with him before he has to pitch in a game,' Fleming said.
"We don't feel it's a big project. We feel like he's going to be able to make the transition fast.'
Hatcher reported to Roger Dean Stadium last week, well ahead of the official date, Feb. 18, for pitchers and catchers to take the field. For now, Hatcher is working on repeating his delivery. His fastball tops out at 94 mph, and his slider and changeup are works in progress.
He'll start the season back in the bullpen at Jacksonville - this time as a pitcher. A Marlins call-up later this season isn't out of the question.
"I made it to the big leagues as a catcher and I really want to get back as a pitcher,' said Hatcher, who was drafted in the fifth round in 2006. "I don't know how many guys have actually done that.'
Hatcher could be the first. Baseball Hall of Fame historian Bill Francis said he doesn't know of any major-league pitcher who came into the league as a catcher.
Several position players have made the switch, including Hall of Famer Bob Lemon and left-handed reliever Ron Mahay, now in the Dodgers' organization.
"My greatest asset as a catcher was my arm," Hatcher said. "I think I can convert that to a pitcher very well. I have a big advantage facing hitters as an ex-catcher because I've set up hitters, I know how to call a game. If I can just throw strikes, which is every pitcher's goal, I'll be ahead of the game.
"People tell me, 'Oh, you've got talent.' Well, you know what? You can't get there on talent unless you're a superstar, which I am not, and I'll be the first to tell you that. I was lucky. I just want to get back.'
One day at Class AA Jacksonville in 2009, Hatcher recalled, he was "just goofing around" in the bullpen with another catcher while they waited for two relievers to finish stretching.
In his catching gear, Hatcher trotted to the mound and told the other catcher, "Get down." Hatcher then fired away.
"My stuff was moving," he said. "It had some life. I was like, 'Wow!' '
Reid Cornelius, the Suns' pitching coach at the time, had the same reaction. He told minor-league pitching coordinator Wayne Rosenthal, who was further intrigued when he saw Hatcher throw in the bullpen a few weeks later.
Hatcher wasn't a novice - he had pitched at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. He didn't expect to make his living as a pitcher but was game when the Suns needed an emergency reliever later in the season.
"I pitched to one batter and got him out,' he said.
Hatcher, 25, came into last season focused on catching. But one night last June, he had just returned to the clubhouse from a doctor's appointment when a clubhouse attendant burst through the door.
"It was the ninth inning. I was still dressed in street clothes,' Hatcher recalled. "They were like, 'Dude, get dressed. You might be pitching.' '
A half-hour later, Hatcher became Jacksonville's seventh pitcher of the game and set down the side 1-2-3 in the 11th. The Suns scored in the bottom of the inning to give Hatcher the win.
Last Sept. 19, with Marlins catchers John Baker and Brett Hayes out with season-ending injuries and Ronny Paulino suspended for violating the substance-abuse policy, Hatcher made his major-league debut as a pinch-hitter, striking out to end a 13-3 loss to the Cubs.
He had almost come on earlier in the inning as a pitcher; he was warming while the Cubs were pounding Burke Badenhop for four runs.
Hatcher wound up playing in five games for the Marlins, making two starts behind the plate, throwing out his only would-be base stealer and going hitless in eight plate appearances.
Then in November, he got a call from Jim Fleming, the Marlins' vice president for player development. Hatcher feared he was being released, but Fleming wanted Hatcher to try a new job.
The organization could use another live arm, and Hatcher last season hit only .202 for the Suns and .167 for Class AAA New Orleans.
"We thought this was a very good time to try this experiment, and do it in spring training, and have a lot of time to work with him before he has to pitch in a game,' Fleming said.
"We don't feel it's a big project. We feel like he's going to be able to make the transition fast.'
Hatcher reported to Roger Dean Stadium last week, well ahead of the official date, Feb. 18, for pitchers and catchers to take the field. For now, Hatcher is working on repeating his delivery. His fastball tops out at 94 mph, and his slider and changeup are works in progress.
He'll start the season back in the bullpen at Jacksonville - this time as a pitcher. A Marlins call-up later this season isn't out of the question.
"I made it to the big leagues as a catcher and I really want to get back as a pitcher,' said Hatcher, who was drafted in the fifth round in 2006. "I don't know how many guys have actually done that.'
Hatcher could be the first. Baseball Hall of Fame historian Bill Francis said he doesn't know of any major-league pitcher who came into the league as a catcher.
Several position players have made the switch, including Hall of Famer Bob Lemon and left-handed reliever Ron Mahay, now in the Dodgers' organization.
"My greatest asset as a catcher was my arm," Hatcher said. "I think I can convert that to a pitcher very well. I have a big advantage facing hitters as an ex-catcher because I've set up hitters, I know how to call a game. If I can just throw strikes, which is every pitcher's goal, I'll be ahead of the game.
"People tell me, 'Oh, you've got talent.' Well, you know what? You can't get there on talent unless you're a superstar, which I am not, and I'll be the first to tell you that. I was lucky. I just want to get back.'