J.B. Cox Stats & Scouting Report

IP	97
ERA	4.825
WHIP	1.402
BB/9	3.247
SO/9	5.567

Full name James Brent Cox
Born 05/13/1984 in Bay City, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Texas
Drafted in the 2nd round (63rd overall) by the New York Yankees in 2005 (signed for $550,000).

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Cox is similar to Huston Street, whom he succeeded as the closer for both Team USA and Texas. He's not quite as good as Street, a supplemental first-rounder last June who made Oakland's Opening Day roster this year, but he's close and has put up better numbers in his draft year than Street did. Cox had a 0.96 ERA in 47 innings since a disastrous six-run outing against Stanford in mid-February, a game that taught him a valuable lesson. He can dial his fastball up into the low 90s, but it's far more effective at 88-89 mph because it has more sink and runs in on righthanders. As with Street, a late-breaking power slider is his best pitch. There's some violence to Cox' delivery, but he has been durable and throws strikes with ease. His stuff may be a bit short to be a big league closer, though he might have the moxie to pull it off. The team that selects Cox should get at least a solid set-up man who can move through the minors in a hurry.

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When Cox came to the Yankees fresh off being the closer for Texas' 2005 College World Series champions, Yankees fans jumped on his bandwagon as the replacement for Mariano Rivera. However, Cox always has profiled better as a setup man, and after losing the 2007 season to Tommy John surgery, he has fallen back into a large pack of New York middle-relief candidates. Cox's strong suits long have been his plus slider and his command of that pitch and his fastball. His heater touches 92 but sits at 88-89 mph with good sinking life. His fearlessness and willingness to throw strikes have long endeared him to coaches and scouts alike. Coming back from Tommy John surgery could be tough initially for Cox, because command is usually the last thing to return and he needs it to thrive. He was throwing light bullpens in Tampa in December at 30-foot distances, trying to build up arm strength. He wasn't expected to be ready for spring training and probably won't see game action until midsummer. If he adds velocity like a lot of Tommy John survivors have, that will be a bonus.
The closer for Texas' 2005 College World Series championship team, Cox led NCAA Division I with 19 saves that spring. He spent his first full pro season at Double-A, helping Trenton overcome a 0-10 start by serving as a workhorse set-up man. He finished the year with Team USA in the Olympic qualifying tournament. Cox pounds the strike zone with pitches that hitters find nearly impossible to lift. His out pitch is a plus slider with depth that he can throw for strikes or bury to get strikeouts. His fastball sits at 88-91 mph and plays up because of its heavy sink and his ability to command it. His changeup made significant strides in 2006, helping him limit lefthanders to a .150 average. He's a fearless competitor who loves to pitch with the game on the line. Cox just doesn't have enough fastball to be a strikeout pitcher. He profiles better as a set-up man than as a closer, and that somewhat modest ceiling is the biggest knock on him. With a big spring, Cox could pitch his way onto the big league roster. If he doesn't, he'll head to Triple-A and continue preparing for a set-up role.
Cox was Huston Street's wingman at Texas for two years, setting up the current Athletics closer before taking the reins himself and recording the final out when Texas completed its sweep through the 2005 College World Series. The Yankees love a winner, and that describes Cox, who also pitched for Team USA. They took him in the second round in June and signed him for $550,000. Frequently compared to Street, Cox broke his career appearance record at Texas with 106 while tying the school record for single-season saves with 19, a figure that led NCAA Division I. Like Street, Cox works from a lower arm angle and can throw in the low 90s with a plus slider. Unlike Street, Cox is at his best when he takes something off his fastball, throws it in the upper 80s and gets good sink and armside run in on righthanders. Then he goes down and away with his hard slider, a power pitch that gets plenty of swings and misses. Cox has the intangibles necessary to close, even if his stuff is a little short for the true closer profile. He figures to move quickly through the Yankees organization because of his strike-throwing ability and could debut in New York sometime in 2006.