Tyler Cox

TYLER COX
LEFT HANDED PITCHER
Born: April 19, 1986
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 200
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
Drafted: 35th Round, 1044th Overall, 2008
How Acquired: Draft
College: Illinois State
Agent: Michael Bonanno (Oak Sports Management)

Links:

Interview with Tyler Cox

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

Cox spent two years playing JC ball at Parkland College, then attended Illinois State.  He pitched fairly well in relief there as a junior, with a low K rate, then not very well as a starter, but with a much better K rate.  Pitching in relief as a pro, his fastball has been in the low-90s.

2008
R:  2-3-0, 1.79 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 45.1 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 8.3 K/9
A-:  0-1-0, 13.50 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 2 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 13.50 K/9

Posted very good numbers as a starter and reliever in the GCL, but you have to take into account the fact that he was a college senior facing much younger players.  He made one late-season appearance with State College.

2009
A-:  8-3-0, 3.93 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 73.1 IP, 1.8 BB/9, 7.0 K/9
A:  0-4-0, 10.25 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, 26.1 IP, 4.1 BB/9, 5.8 K/9

Started the season at West Virginia and couldn’t get anybody out in eight games.  Cox joined State College when its season opened and had a decent ERA, but opponents still hit .279 against him and his K rate was a little on the low side.  Cox started ten times out of 15 appearances.

2010
A+:  6-2-1, 3.32 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 62.1 IP, 4.8 BB/9, 10.1 K/9

Cox moved full-time to relief and spent the season at Bradenton.  He had a very good season, including a .199 opponents’ average.  In fact, he was almost flawless outside of one very bad month (May) in which he gave up over half his season’s total of earned runs.  The one issue was control, but he had a very high K rate.  RH batters hit for only a slightly higher BA against him than LH hitters, but they accounted for all but one of the eight HRs he allowed.

2011
A+:  2-0-0, 2.60 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 27.2 IP, 3.6 BB/9, 9.1 K/9
AA:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 1 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 9.0 K/9

Cox was hurt at the start of the year and didn’t pitch until mid-June, when he rejoined Bradenton.  He struggled in his first two outings, but had little trouble after that.  Overall he had a 2.60 ERA, .175 opponents’ BA, 1.05 WHIP and 91 K/9.  Without the first two games, he had a 1.42 ERA, .144 opponents’ BA, 0.95 WHIP and 8.9 K/9.  He was very effective against hitters from both sides of the plate.

Cox was eligible for the Rule 5 draft this fall, but wasn’t selected.  He’ll turn 26 early in the 2012 season and has pitched only one inning above class A, so he’ll need to show quickly that his stuff will play at higher levels.

STATS
Baseball Reference–Minors
Fangraphs
MiLB.com

College
W-L-Sv
G
GS
IP
H
HR
BB
K
BB/9
K/9
WHIP
OAVG
ERA
2005 NJCAA
1-1-2
13
 
16.0
21
 
9
17
5.1
9.6
1.88
 
3.94
2006 NJCAA
4-0-0
12
 
41.0
28
 
17
43
3.7
9.4
1.10
 
1.76
2007 NCAA
3-1-0
20
4
50.1
50
1
26
30
4.7
5.4
1.51
.259
3.22
2008 NCAA
4-4-0
13
9
63.1
70
4
26
57
3.7
8.1
1.52
.280
4.55
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2012: Minor League Contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 2008
MLB Debut: N/A
MiLB FA Eligible: 2014
MLB FA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Eligible: 2011
Added to 40-Man: N/A
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
June 6, 2008: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 35th round, 1044th overall pick; signed on June 9.