Giants sign former top pick Drabek as infielder

Former top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek will get an opportunity to resume his major-league career with the San Francisco Giants, though it apparently won't be on the mound.

After more than 1,000 professional innings as a pitcher, the Giants plan to convert the 28-year-old Drabek into an infielder, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Drabek last appeared on a major-league mound April 7 as a reliever for the Arizona Diamondbacks in his only outing of the season.

Drafted 18th overall in 2006 by the Philadelphia Phillies, Drabek was famously shipped to the Toronto Blue Jays with catcher Travis d'Arnaud as part of the Roy Halladay trade in 2009.

Drabek, the son of former Cy Young winner Doug, spent five injury-plagued seasons in Toronto, managing a 5.27 ERA and 6.2 K/9 over just 30 starts. Since then, the Texas-born right-hander made brief stops in Chicago (White Sox) and Arizona before the Diamondbacks released him June 28.

According to his Baseball America draft report, Drabek was considered among "the best" high school position players in his class.