If the kid wants to try to make the majors as a player rather than a pitcher, then you almost have to let him fail to hit before you convince him to convert. Who knows, maybe the Nats made soem sort of agreement he could try to catch first and that was part of the understanding that led him to sign. It's not unprecedented. Casey Kelly is one of the few I can think of that is getting time both at a position and as a pitcher, and he's doing so because that was the only way he could be signed rather than go to school.
