Austin Cox
Austin Cox | |
---|---|
![]() Cox with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2022 | |
Kansas City Royals | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Macon, Georgia, U.S. | March 28, 1997|
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
MLB debut | |
May 4, 2023, for the Kansas City Royals | |
MLB statistics (through 2023 season) | |
Win–loss record | 0–1 |
Earned run average | 4.54 |
Strikeouts | 33 |
Teams | |
Austin Cox (born March 28, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut for the Royals in 2023.
Amateur career
Cox attended First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Georgia, where he played baseball and football. For his high school career, he went 15–6 with a 2.19 ERA.[1] Undrafted in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, he fulfilled his commitment to play college baseball at Mercer University.[2]
In 2016, Cox's freshman year at Mercer, he pitched 24 innings, compiling a 2–2 record and a 10.13 ERA. As a sophomore in 2016, he started 15 games, going 4–2 with a 5.69 ERA.[3] In 2018, his junior season, he was named Mercer's Friday night starter.[4] Over 17 starts, Cox pitched to a 7–4 record with a 4.52 ERA, striking out 124 batters over 87+2⁄3 innings.[5]
Professional career
The Kansas City Royals selected Cox in the fifth round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[6][7] He signed with the Royals and made his professional debut with the Burlington Royals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, pitching to a 1–1 record and a 3.78 ERA over nine starts.[8] In 2019, he began the year with the Lexington Legends of the Single–A South Atlantic League, with whom he was named an All-Star alongside earning Pitcher of the Week honors in early June.[9][10] He was promoted to the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the High–A Carolina League in June, and finished the season there.[11] Over 24 games (23 starts) between the two teams, he went 8–6 with a 2.76 ERA, compiling 129 strikeouts and 38 walks over 130+2⁄3 innings.[12] Cox did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[13]
To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Double-A Central, and was promoted to the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Triple-A East in late September.[14] Over 17 games (16 starts) between the two clubs, Cox went 4-1 with a 4.10 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 63 innings.[15][16] He returned to Omaha for the 2022 season.[17] Over 29 games (24 starts), he went 7-7 with a 4.21 ERA and 105 strikeouts over 147+1⁄3 innings.[18] Cox began the 2023 season with Omaha, posting a 2.21 ERA, 22 strikeouts, and 11 walks in 20+1⁄3 innings pitched across five games (four starts).
On May 3, 2023, Cox was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[19] He proceeded to set a modern Major League Baseball record by not allowing a hit to any of the first 39 batters he faced.[20] In 24 appearances for Kansas City, Cox logged a 4.54 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 35+2⁄3 innings pitched. On September 8, Cox departed an outing against the Toronto Blue Jays after he was struck by an Alejandro Kirk come backer and collapsed in pain as he tried to cover first base.[21] The next day, he was placed on the 60–day injured list, ending his season.[22] On September 12, Cox was diagnosed with a full ACL tear in his left knee, as well as damage to his MCL in the same knee.[23] On November 17, Cox was designated for assignment by the Royals following the acquisition of Nick Anderson.[24] The following day, Kansas City re-signed him to a minor league contract.[25]
Cox spent the 2024 campaign with Triple–A Omaha, compiling a 3.90 ERA with 31 strikeouts across 30 innings pitched. On July 11, 2024, Cox opted out of his minor league contract and elected free agency.[26] Cox re–signed with the Royals on a new minor league contract on July 16.[27]
References
- ^ "Austin Cox - Baseball".
- ^ "Middle Georgia native among Mercer baseball's 2015 signees - 41NBC News | WMGT-DT". 41Nbc News | WMGT-Dt. 41nbc.com. November 21, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ Mastroianni, Jake (January 22, 2018). "2018 CBD Season Preview and Predictions: Southern Conference". College Baseball Daily. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ "FPD's Austin Cox thriving on the mound in junior year with Mercer | WGXA". Wgxa.tv. March 21, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ The Wichita Eagle (subscription required)
- ^ "Six SoCon players taken on day two of MLB Draft - SoConSports.com - Official Web Site of The Southern Conference". Nmnathletics.com. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ Wolf, Jordan (June 5, 2018). "Royals draft more college players on Day 2 | Kansas City Royals". Mlb.com. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ Por William Boor (July 23, 2019). "Top prospect performers for Tuesday July 23". MLB.com. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ "Lexington's Southpaw Austin Cox Named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week | Legends". Milb.com. June 7, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ "2019 South Atlantic League All-Star Game rosters | Lexington Herald Leader". Archived from the original on June 8, 2019.
- ^ The News and Observer [dead link]
- ^ "Exploring the timelines for the Royals' top pitching prospects – The Athletic". Theathletic.co.uk. December 16, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com.
- ^ "KC Royals: Omaha club is bursting with good things". May 31, 2021.
- ^ "With Rule 5 draft deadline approaching: Who will the Royals protect? And what does it say about the club's future?".
- ^ "MJ Melendez, Nick Pratto added to Royals' 40-man roster". MLB.com.
- ^ "Storm Chasers reveal preliminary roster for 2022 season".
- ^ "Austin Cox Stats, Fantasy & News".
- ^ "Royals' Austin Cox: Contract selected by KC". cbssports.com. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ "Royals Rumblings News for June 23, 2023". Royals Review.
- ^ "Royals' Austin Cox: Leaves game with leg injury". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ "Royals' Austin Cox: Season over due to sprained knee". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ "Royals' Austin Cox: Diagnosed with full ACL tear". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/royals-designate-austin-cox-for-assignment.html
- ^ https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/royals-sign-four-to-minor-league-contracts.html
- ^ "Austin Cox Opts Out Of Royals Deal". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
- ^ https://www.milb.com/transactions/2024-07-16
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)