Question About Uncommon Position Changes

but does happen from time to time.
Historically, just off the top of my head: Babe Ruth (obviously), Smokey Joe Wood was on his way to a HOF pitching career before he blew out his arm. He then had a run as a solid hitting OFer. Johnny LIndell started his career as a pitcher, then started as an OF on the great Yankee dynasty in the 40s, and he ended his career by returning to the mound for two seasons (I bet he’s the only one that went pitcher to hitter, back to pitcher). The great Don Newcombe, after arm troubles ended his career, attempted a comeback as a 1B (and actually played in Japan as a 1B for a few years).
Recently: Ankiel is the obvious, Brian Bogusevic made the move and may start in the OF this year for Houston. Joe Savery made the majors as a pitcher and is now trying to make it back as a OFer. Both Dontrelle Willis and Micah Owings received free agent interest this offseason as position players.
I’m sure there are more

there are a handful of players that are very good as position players and pitchers. Just looking at the top of the recent drafts, Mike Moustakas was in the low 90’s with his arm. Matt Wieters was a reliever in college, Joe Savery was in that draft as well. Buster Posey pitched some for FSU, Aaron Hicks was looked at as a 1st round talent on the mound and still could end up there.
Every season there are a fe guys that have arm strength enough to be looked at on the mound but can hit as well. Typically these guys start off as hitters if there is enough potential with the bat. It is harder to hit after a long layoff from hitting that it is to get the arm strength to convert to the mound. Catchers, SS, 3B and OF are the most likely to convert to pitching due to the need for arm strength.
Matt Bush is a recent example of this as well as Sergio Santos. Joe Nathan and Tim Wakefield were both drafted as shortstops. Hell, Mark McGwire pitched in college.
Hitting a ball at a pro level is extremely difficult and players like Ankiel who can do it consistently as well as pitch at that level are extraordinary.
The only current MLB pitchers that I think could have had hitting careers are Livan Hernandez and Carlos Zambrano. I may be missing some but those are the two that jump out at me. There are quite a few position prospects who could end up on the mound and be useful relievers but we won’t know until it happens. Pedro Baez and Aaron Hicks are leading candidates in my mind who are decent hitting prospects currently.
Sorry for rambling.

IIRC he was converted from either a catcher or infielder to a now a sleeper elite RP.

Santos also came to mind initially and was mentioned by Matt above

Matt West was a third base prospect that couldn’t hit. The Rangers put him on the mound in Spring Training and he dominated the Northwest League to a tune of 36:1 K:BB in 26 IP thanks to an incredibly random plus Fastball/Slider combo

Julian Tavarez - He said in a interview that scouts went to see him as SS but they didn’t like him so he then went on the mound and signed.

Fransisco Liriano - He signed as an OF but the Giants moved him to the mound right away.

starred as a two-way player in the LLW and was seen as a better prospect on the mound but he wanted to hit and the Rangers wanted him to hit so far a good choice.

Couldn’t find the strike zone as a pitcher, but did log over 160 Major League innings. Due to arm problems he switched to the outfield a couple years ago and even hit 306/377/508 last season in AAA before getting a small cup with the Blue Jays.