Former Reds Second Round Pick Could Have New Life After Major Position Change

On Thursday, the Cincinnati Reds released their minor league camp roster.

There was one big thing that stood out. Former second round draft pick Logan Tanner is no longer catching. It appears that the Reds have moved Tanner to the mound, giving the former Mississippi State standout a new opportunity and a fresh start.

Tanner was drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Reds. Ever since he was drafted, he was known for his defensive behind the dish. However, his bat has struggled every step on the way. He has yet to appear in a game above High-A Dayton. In three seasons in the minors, Tanner slashed .180/.305/.310 with 10 home runs and 187 strikeouts in 163 games.

Here is what scouting director Joe Katuska said after the Reds drafted Tanner in 2022.

“He’s made significant improvement with the bat," Katuska told Doug Gray of RedsMinorLeagues.com. "He knew he needed to do it going into school. A lot of teams talked to him about being a pitcher out of high school. He had a teammate of his that was drafted out of high school as a pitcher and I got lucky to see Logan throw after that and he was throwing 97 as a high school senior. But he made it clear to everyone that he wanted to be a catcher. He went to school and put in the work and showed the bat was enough, and it the bats continuing to get better, but it’s a really strong defensive profile that leads the way for him. ”

With Tanner struggling so much offensively, the Reds and him have decided to see if they can put his strong arm to better use.

Who Else Has Done This

Red — Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenley Jansen practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While this doesn't happen often, there are a couple of big names who have previously converted from catcher to pitcher.

Jason Motte was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2003 as a catcher. In 2006, he converted to a pitcher and in 2012, he led the National League in saves.

Kenley Jansen caught for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic in 2009. After the season, he changed to a pitcher due to his poor offensive numbers.

Jansen shot through the system and made his MLB debut after appearing in 50 games over two seasons in the minors.

Am I saying Tanner is going to be the next Kenley Jansen? No. But Tanner did not have a realistic path to the majors as a catcher. If he threw 97 as a high school senior, it's absolutely worth taking a shot on him as a pitcher and seeing what he can do. He will be one of the more interesting stories to watch this season in the minor leagues.

You can see the full minor league camp roster below:

The Reds' minor league camp roster. pic.twitter.com/MAWAk00JwM
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) February 19, 2026

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