Former Infielder David Fletcher Is Now Striking Out AAA Hitters as a Knuckleball Pitcher While Simultaneously Being Investigated by MLB for Gambling

There is not a more fascinating player in baseball right now than David Fletcher. The former Angels infielder is now in the Braves organization but has spent most of his time this season at Triple-A Gwinnett, appearing in just five games for Atlanta. And seeing his career as a utilityman start to hit a plateau, Fletcher is trying something new: being a knuckleball pitcher.

Fletcher started for the Gwinnett Stripers on Wednesday night, allowing just two runs on three hits and striking out six hitters in five innings. The guy you see flailing at Fletcher’s knuckleball in that first clip is No. 1 prospect in baseball Jackson Holliday. Not too bad for a guy who decided he was a pitcher five minutes ago.

If the on-field change wasn’t enough for you, though, there is one more thing pretty interesting about Fletcher: he’s currently being investigated by Major League Baseball for gambling with the same illegal bookmaker as Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter during his time with the Angels.

Well how about that! I don’t know how much longer this guy is going to be allowed to play baseball, but may as well try to find a way to stick around for as long as possible in case they let him keep playing, I guess.

Ohtani was cleared of wrongdoing pretty quickly, so he never really had to play under the cloud of an investigation. But Fletcher is being forced to undergo his transition to a knuckleballer while also being investigated by MLB for betting on sports. What a time for that guy.

Like I said, there is not a more interesting player in baseball right now. I can’t wait to watch Dave the Gambling Knuckleballer’s next start for the Stripers.