Rangers converting Scott Cousins to a pitcher

The Rangers signed former major league outfielder Scott Cousins to a minor-league contract Wednesday, but he won't be joining any of the organization's outfields.

Texas sent the 29-year-old, a 2006 third-round pick of the Marlins, to Surprise, Ariz., where he'll become a pitcher at the team's minor league complex, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.

Cousins' early success in the minors didn't translate into a significant impact in the majors. He's a career .179 hitter with two homers and nine RBI. 

Cousins batted .309 at the University of San Francisco in 2005 - the same year he went 8-5 on the mound with a 2.64 ERA and 76 strikeouts.

Did the Rangers strike left-handed pitching gold?