Kyle Cody

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #24 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Cody was a fast riser in the Rangers' system before an elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery in 2018. He returned in 2020, pitched well at the alternate training site and earned his first major league callup in late August. After beginning in the bullpen, Cody moved into the Rangers rotation and posted a 1.96 ERA in five starts, albeit with too many walks.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cody mostly relies on his 94-97 mph fastball and a plus slider that is the best in the Rangers system. His 83-86 mph slider is his primary pitch and has elite vertical movement, which major league hitters never adjusted to were nearly helpless against. Cody also has a changeup that should be an average pitch and possibly more. Like many tall pitchers, the 6-foot-7 Cody has trouble controlling his long limbs and has firmly below-average control. Though he checked all the health boxes in 2020, the Rangers are concerned about how many innings he can handle in 2021.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cody is going to pitch in the major leagues in 2021. How much he pitches, and in what role, will be determined by his health and how much he improves his control.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #26 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Cody was one of the top breakthrough players in the Rangers' system in 2017, when he rose through two Class A levels and missed plenty of bats with a pair of plus pitches. The 2018 season, however, struck a significant blow to his future. Cody tried to rehab an elbow injury early in the season, but after a setback in that process, he had Tommy John surgery in July.
  
  Scouting Report: Due to the timing of the surgery, Cody won't pitch in a game against until the 2020 season, so with just five innings pitched in 2018 and none in 2019, the injury essentially wipes out two seasons. When Cody was healthy, he attacked hitters with a lively 93-97 mph fastball coming from a steep angle out of his 6-foot-7, 245-pound frame. His plus slider looks like his fastball coming out of his hand but breaks off with sharp, late tilt as it gets to the plate. His changeup is fringe-average, so the injury sets back much-needed development of his third pitch.
  
  The Future: Cody has the stuff to be a No. 3 or 4 starter, but his durability is questionable. Cody will be 25 when the 2020 season opens and under an innings limit that season, so a bullpen role may be in his future.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #7 prospect in 2018
  The Twins drafted Cody in the supplemental second round in 2015, but he returned to Kentucky instead for his senior season and went to the Rangers in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. Cody became one of the Rangers' biggest developmental success stories in 2017, pitching well at two Class A levels. Cody has an extra-large frame at 6-foot-7, 245 pounds and drops the ball downhill with a lively fastball from 93-97 mph. He has a plus slider that comes out of his hand looking like a fastball until it snaps off at the end with late tilt and sharp action. Cody could lean heavily on his slider to get outs at the lower levels, but the Ranges instead forced him to pitch only with his fastball the first time through the order early in the season to help him improve his fastball command and learn how to attack hitters. They took off those restrictions in the second half, and Cody posted a 1.32 ERA with a 76-20 strikeout-to-walk mark over 61.1 innings in his final 10 starts. His changeup improved in 2017, but it's still a fringe-average pitch he needs to develop. Cody has the stuff to become a No. 3 or 4 starter. He'll likely return to high Class A Down East to begin 2018, but he should be in the upper levels soon and be ready to help the major league club in 2019.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #89 prospect in 2016 draft
  Coming off an excellent Cape Cod League summer where he touched 97 mph in the all-star game, Cody was considered a potential first-round pick in 2015. Instead, a rough start lead to him losing his rotation spot in April before regaining it for a dominant stretch in May. He was drafted by the Twins in the second round (73rd overall), but spurned the Twins to return for his senior season. Cody has been much more reliable as Kentucky's Sunday starter as a senior and he still tantalizes with his power. A big (6-foot-7, 245 pound) righthander with long levers, Cody pitches off of an above-average 93-95 mph fastball with sink. His low-80s curveball with a slurvy shape has more power than it showed last year and gives him a second potential average offering. He also mixes in fringe-average mid-80s changeup. Cody's command in the strike zone wavers at times but he has shown average control (he's walked 3 per nine in college). He missed nearly a month as a sophomore with forearm tightness but he's been healthy since. As a 21-year-old senior, Cody still has plenty of upside and his size/stuff combination entices scouts even though he's had a very up-and-down career at Kentucky. His fallback option as a power reliever reduces his risk. Cody may not top the money he turned down from the Twins last year, but he should hear his name called in the first three rounds again this year.
• Ranked #76 prospect in 2015 draft
  At 6-foot-7, 245 pounds, Cody has jumbo size and one of the biggest fastballs in the class. Last summer, his fastball sat around 95 mph, touching as high as 98, from an easy delivery and clean arm action. He threw strikes and pitched off his heater, with a 34-11 strikeout-walk ratio last summer. However, the spring season has been a disastrous one for Cody, who has lost the life on his fastball as well as his strike-throwing ability. He lost his weekend rotation spot early, getting hammered in early starts at UC Santa Barbara and then in SEC play against Mississippi State, and tried to regroup in mid-week starts and relief outings. He has gotten out of his routine and generally struggled to get back into a rhythm while struggling to handle adversity. Cody still throws hard but his fastball has straightened out and elevated this spring--SEC hitters were batting .324 with 21 extra-base hits, including seven home runs against him going into the final weekend of the regular season--and he's behind too much to make his hard, plus curveball a factor. He doesn't land the curve frequently enough for a strike anyway. One or two solid outings late could convince a team they can get Cody back to his Cape Cod League form, but his chances of going out in the first round are gone.
• Ranked #267 prospect in 2012 draft
  Cody defines projectability with his lean 6-foot-6, 215-pound frame and size 17 shoes. Considered virtually unsignable at this point, he could blossom into an early-round 2015 draft pick after three years at Kentucky. Cody's arm works well and he has good body control for such a big teenager. He already throws 87-91 mph with more velocity to come as he gets stronger. He not only flashes a plus knuckle-curve, but he also does a good job of locating it. He doesn't need a changeup against Wisconsin high school competition, but he has shown the makings of one in bullpen workouts.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cody was a fast riser in the Rangers' system before an elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery in 2018. He returned in 2020, pitched well at the alternate training site and earned his first major league callup in late August. After beginning in the bullpen, Cody moved into the Rangers rotation and posted a 1.96 ERA in five starts, albeit with too many walks.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cody mostly relies on his 94-97 mph fastball and a plus slider that is the best in the Rangers system. His 83-86 mph slider is his primary pitch and has elite vertical movement, which major league hitters never adjusted to were nearly helpless against. Cody also has a changeup that should be an average pitch and possibly more. Like many tall pitchers, the 6-foot-7 Cody has trouble controlling his long limbs and has firmly below-average control. Though he checked all the health boxes in 2020, the Rangers are concerned about how many innings he can handle in 2021.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cody is going to pitch in the major leagues in 2021. How much he pitches, and in what role, will be determined by his health and how much he improves his control.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cody was a fast riser in the Rangers' system before an elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery in 2018. He returned in 2020, pitched well at the alternate training site and earned his first major league callup in late August. After beginning in the bullpen, Cody moved into the Rangers rotation and posted a 1.96 ERA in five starts, albeit with too many walks.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cody mostly relies on his 94-97 mph fastball and a plus slider that is the best in the Rangers system. His 83-86 mph slider is his primary pitch and has elite vertical movement, which major league hitters never adjusted to were nearly helpless against. Cody also has a changeup that should be an average pitch and possibly more. Like many tall pitchers, the 6-foot-7 Cody has trouble controlling his long limbs and has firmly below-average control. Though he checked all the health boxes in 2020, the Rangers are concerned about how many innings he can handle in 2021.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cody is going to pitch in the major leagues in 2021. How much he pitches, and in what role, will be determined by his health and how much he improves his control.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Twins drafted Cody in the supplemental second round in 2015, but he returned to Kentucky instead for his senior season and went to the Rangers in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. He became one of the Rangers' biggest developmental success stories in 2017. Scouting Report: Cody has an extra-large frame at 6-foot-7, 245 pounds and pounds the ball downhill with a lively fastball from 93-97 mph. He has a plus slider that comes out of his hand looking like a fastball until it snaps off at the end with late tilt and sharp action. Cody could lean heavily on his slider to get outs at the lower levels, but the Rangers instead forced him to pitch only with his fastball the first time through the order early in the season to help him improve his fastball command and learn how to attack hitters. They took off those restrictions in the second half, and Cody posted a 1.32 ERA with a 76-to-20 strikeout-to-walk mark over 61.1 innings in his final 10 starts. His changeup improved in 2017, but it's still a fringe-average pitch. The Future: Cody has the stuff to become a No. 3 or 4 starter. He likely will return to high Class A Down East to begin 2018, but he should be in the upper levels soon and be ready to help the major league club in 2019.