Cody Ponce Explained

Cody Ponce
Team:Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Number:13
Position:Pitcher
Birth Date:25 April 1994
Birth Place:Pomona, California, U.S.
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:August 2
Debutyear:2020
Debutteam:Pittsburgh Pirates
Debut2league:NPB
Debut2date:April 20
Debut2year:2022
Debut2team:Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
Statleague:MLB
Statyear:2021 season
Stat1label:Win–loss record
Stat1value:1–7
Stat2label:Earned run average
Stat2value:5.86
Stat3label:Strikeouts
Stat3value:48
Stat2league:NPB
Stat2year:May 8, 2024
Stat21label:Win–loss record
Stat21value:9–12
Stat22label:Earned run average
Stat22value:3.75
Stat23label:Strikeouts
Stat23value:131
Teams:
Awards:NPB

Cody Joe Ponce (born April 25, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and in NPB for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He played college baseball for the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos.

Amateur career

Ponce graduated from Damien High School in La Verne, California. He enrolled at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, to play college baseball for the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos.[2] In 2014, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.[3]

Professional career

Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers selected Ponce in the second round, with the 55th overall selection, of the 2015 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft.[4] Ponce signed with the Brewers, receiving a $1,108,000 signing bonus, the full slot value assigned to the pick. He reported to the Helena Brewers of the Rookie-level Pioneer League to make his professional debut.[5] [6] The Brewers then promoted Ponce to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Class A Midwest League.[7] He posted a combined 2–1 record with a 2.29 ERA over 14 games (nine starts) between both clubs.

Ponce began the 2016 season on the disabled list with the Brevard County Manatees of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League,[8] and made his first appearance for Brevard County in June.[9] He pitched to a 2–8 record with a 5.25 ERA in 17 starts for Brevard County.

In 2017, Ponce played for both the Carolina Mudcats of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League, and the Biloxi Shuckers of the Class AA Southern League,[10] posted a combined 10–9 record with a 3.14 ERA over 25 starts.[11] He spent the 2018 season with Biloxi, going 7–6 with a 4.36 ERA in 29 games (11 starts). In 2019, he returned to Biloxi to begin the season.[12]

Pittsburgh Pirates

On July 29, 2019, the Brewers traded Ponce to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Jordan Lyles.[13] Ponce split the 2019 season between Biloxi, the Altoona Curve, and the Indianapolis Indians, going a combined 2–6 with a 4.14 ERA in innings.

After the season, Ponce was selected for the United States national baseball team at the 2019 WBSC Premier 12.[14] In the tournament he was 1–1 with a 2.03 ERA in three starts covering innings.[15] He was also added to the Pirates 40-man roster.[16]

Ponce made his major league debut on August 2, 2020 against the Chicago Cubs and was the losing pitcher. He had an 0–6 record and a 7.04 ERA in innings in 15 games for the Pirates in 2021, while spending the rest of the season with Indianapolis. After the 2021 season, on November 29, 2021, the Pirates released Ponce to allow him to play in Japan.[17]

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

On December 5, 2021, Ponce signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).[18] On August 27, 2022, Ponce pitched a no-hitter against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Sapporo Dome, making himself the seventh foreign-born player to achieve it after the NPB introduced the 2-league system when it was reorganized from the JBL in the 1950 season.[19] He finished the year appearing in 14 games, logging a 3–5 record and 3.35 ERA with 66 strikeouts in innings pitched.

On April 5, 2023, Ponce was diagnosed with a partially torn quadriceps tendon in his left leg that would sideline him for 4 weeks.[20] In 10 games for the team, he registered a 4–5 record and 3.66 ERA with 43 strikeouts across innings. On November 27, it was announced that Ponce and the Fighters could not reach a contract agreement, making him a free agent.[21]

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

On December 26, 2023, Ponce signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball.[22]

Personal

Ponce is married to George Kittle's sister Emma, making the two brothers–in–law.[23] [24] [25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Pirate Cody Ponce digs deep in Japan no-hitter .
  2. Web site: Cal Poly Pomona's Cody Ponce leads Broncos into NCAA Division II Regionals. dailybulletin.com. May 14, 2015. June 9, 2015.
  3. Web site: #42 Cody Ponce – Profile . pointstreak.com . January 9, 2020.
  4. Web site: What the Brewers are saying about their draft picks. Todd Rosiak. jsonline.com. June 16, 2015.
  5. Web site: Notes – Brewers draft picks get royal treatment. Tom Haudricourt. jsonline.com. June 16, 2015.
  6. Web site: Milwaukee Brewers sign three MLB draft picks. Fox Sports. FOX Sports. June 15, 2015. June 16, 2015.
  7. Web site: Timber Rattlers' Ponce has tools to make it big. Tim. Froberg. Appleton Post-Crescent. August 2, 2015. August 8, 2015.
  8. Web site: McCalvy . Adam . Cody Ponce placed on disabled list | MLB.com . M.mlb.com . January 20, 2016 . August 27, 2017.
  9. Web site: Brewers vs. Athletics: Wednesday game report . Jsonline.com . June 8, 2016 . August 27, 2017.
  10. Web site: Shuckers' Ponce tosses gem in Double-A debut . MiLB.com . August 27, 2017.
  11. Web site: Cody Ponce Stats, Highlights, Bio. MiLB.com. November 2, 2017.
  12. Web site: Cody Ponce Stats, Highlights, Bio. MiLB.com. October 21, 2018.
  13. Web site: Pirates trade Jordan Lyles to Brewers for reliever Cody Ponce. Jason Mackey. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 29, 2019. August 4, 2019.
  14. Web site: Bobby Dalbec Brings The Power For Team USA. Kyle Glaser. October 25, 2019. November 12, 2019.
  15. Web site: II Premier12 2019 – the official site – WBSC . November 17, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191117105438/https://premier12.wbsc.org/en/2019/team-stats/USA/pitching . November 17, 2019 . dead .
  16. Web site: Bucs add top prospects Hayes, Cruz to 40-man. MLB.com. Adam Berry. November 20, 2019. November 22, 2019.
  17. Web site: Pirates release RHP Cody Ponce, who will sign to play in Japan . November 30, 2021 .
  18. Web site: Cody Ponce: Bound for Japan. November 30, 2021.
  19. News: 2022-08-27 . Baseball: Fighters' Cody Ponce throws NPB season's 5th no-hitter . en . . 2022-08-27.
  20. Web site: Yahoo News Japan . April 9, 2023 . April 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409094325/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b9b02b872195df69f1d8af760965e18a0a80c111 . dead .
  21. npb_reddit. 1728946936412323952. The Nippon-Ham Fighters and pitcher Cody Ponce could not reach an agreement on a new contract, so the club won't be bringing him back for 2024.
  22. Web site: 2023-12-27 . NPB's Rakuten Golden Eagles Sign Cody Ponce . 2024-01-31 . MLB Trade Rumors . en-US.
  23. Web site: Instagram .
  24. Web site: Instagram .
  25. Web site: Instagram .