Cody Buckel
| IP | 439 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.916 |
| WHIP | 1.36 |
| BB/9 | 5.187 |
| SO/9 | 9.554 |
- Full name Cody James Buckel
- Born 06/18/1992 in Thousand Oaks, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Royal
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Drafted in the 2nd round (72nd overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2010 (signed for $590,000).
View Draft Report
Residing close to Hollywood, Buckel relishes a good dramatic flourish. He begins his pregame warm-up by standing on the grass between the mound and second base with the ball in his hand. He races up the backside of the mound, down the front, and fires the ball plateward. A fledgling singer and actor when he isn't striking out hitters, Buckel is undersized for a righthander at 6 feet, 170 pounds. He does flash a big man's fastball at 92-94 mph. Buckel mixes in an excellent array of secondary pitches, with a curveball, changeup and cutter. His pitching idol is Tim Lincecum, and while his stuff is not as electric as the Giants ace's, he still displays the potential for four average to plus deliveries. The primary concern is durability, as he usually loses 3-4 mph on his fastball as a game progresses. Committed to Pepperdine, Buckel projects as either a back-of-the-rotation starter or set-up man in professional baseball.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Like sub-6-foot Rangers prospects Robbie Erlin and Robbie Ross before him, Buckel combines short stature, swing-and-miss stuff and results. An offseason workout routine with Diamondbacks prospect Trevor Bauer prior to the 2012 season provided Buckel with ammunition for his long-toss regimen, mechanics and repertoire. Buckel claims tweaks to his delivery--which scouts compare to Tim Lincecum's--allowed him to maintain his velocity deeper into starts as he climbed to Double-A at age 20 in late June. He sits at 90-91 mph and touches 94 with running life, though his fastball plane tends to be flat. As a result, he leans on a repertoire of secondary pitches that grade as average or better. Buckel likes to pitch up in the strike zone with his fastball, then change eye levels with a plus curveball. He'll work to his glove side with a tight slider or slow bats with a solid changeup. He got in trouble at Frisco when he pitched backward, but improved as his fastball location got better. Buckel's repertoire and polish could be attractive in a back-of-the-rotation role to the Rangers or a club that trades for him. He could be ready for a big league audition in late 2013 or early 2014. -
The Rangers haven't been afraid of taking undersized pitchers in recent drafts, including the 6-foot Buckel. He opted to forego a Pepperdine commitment to sign for $590,000 as a second-round pick in 2010. He opened his first full season in extended spring training and then the Hickory bullpen before going 7-2, 2.04 with a 104-19 K-BB ratio in 17 starts. Buckel's intelligence, mechanics and quirkiness are reminiscent of those of his best friend--Trevor Bauer, the No. 3 overall choice in the 2011 draft and his offseason workout partner. As with Bauer, Buckel's unorthodox and torque-heavy delivery creates deception. While he doesn't have overpowering stuff, he has a deep four-pitch mix, outstanding pitchability and a fiercely competitive nature. Buckel's fastball sits at 88-92 mph and touches 94 with armside run. He also throws a plus changeup, an average curveball with big break that he learned from Barry Zito and a short cutter/slider that induces grounders. Some scouts still worry about his size and durability, though his athleticism should help him. Buckel doesn't have incredible upside, but he has a low floor and could become a solid No. 3 starter. He'll headline Myrtle Beach's 2012 rotation and may move quickly because of his advanced feel for pitching. -
The colorful Buckel was a fledgling singer and actor before forgoing a Pepperdine commitment to sign with the Rangers for $590,000 as a second-round pick in 2010. He made four scoreless relief appearances in the Arizona League before a pulled ribcage ended his pro debut. A bit undersized, Buckel idolizes another offbeat, smallish righthander: Tim Lincecum. He doesn't have that kind of electric stuff, but his long arm action and high-effort, self-made delivery are somewhat similar to Lincecum's. For a high school draftee, Buckel has a fairly polished four-pitch mix. His fastball sits around 88-92 mph but bumps 94 at times. He also has the makings of three average or better secondary pitches in his curveball, changeup and cutter. The cerebral Buckel likes asking questions and soaking up knowledge from older pitchers. His makeup, size and repertoire remind Texas of a righthanded Robbie Erlin, though he does not have Erlin's command and feel at this stage. Durability is also a concern, as Buckel tended to lose 3-4 mph on his fastball as games progressed in high school. He profiles as a back-end starter or a middle reliever down the road. Buckel will pitch at Spokane or Hickory in 2011.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Buckel opened the season by dominating in high Class A before moving up to Frisco at the end of June. He mixed in a few rough starts but acquitted himself well, particularly for a 20-year-old in Double-A. Because he's 6 feet tall and has an unorthodox delivery, he earns comparisons to both Tim Lincecum and Trevor Bauer. Like those pitchers, Buckel also shows great confidence on the mound and attacks hitters with a variety of pitches. Buckel's fastball ranges from 89-94 mph with good life, and he hits the high end of that range regularly. He shows good feel for a cutter/slider, curveball and changeup, with the curve earning the highest marks this season. If scouts have a concern, it's that he relied on his secondary pitches too much rather than establishing his fastball. -
The Rangers have a knack for finding undersized pitchers who miss bats, and Buckel is another example. He was unhittable in 13 starts with Myrtle Beach before heading to Double-A in early June. He's a student of the game who works hard at mastering a repertoire with three potential above-average pitches. His 88-92 mph fastball tops out at 94 and plays up because he hides it well with an unorthodox, torque-heavy delivery similar to Tim Lincecum's. Buckel also gets swings and misses with his curveball and changeup, and he mixes in a cutter/slider that induces groundouts. He commands his offerings well and gets hitters to chase out of the strike zone because they have difficulty picking up his pitches. -
Buckel displayed advanced maturity for a pitcher who was working games in high school less than a year before making his SAL debut. Nothing fazed him as he attacked the strike zone with four pitches: an 88-94 mph fastball, an 87-88 mph cutter, a solid changeup and a developing curveball. The Rangers kept him on a pitch count because of his youth, and he took it as a challenge to become more efficient. "At an early age, some guys take every game and every road trip like it's a field trip," Richardson said. "But Cody's different in that he knows this is what he wants to do. He understands the preparation that is required in order to be a good pitcher. Every day he comes to the park he's determined to learn about hitters or strategy or pitching philosophy. He's a true student of the game and we're tickled to death about the progress he's made."
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Breaking Pitch in the Carolina League in 2012
- Rated Best Control in the Texas Rangers in 2012
Scouting Reports
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Background: Like sub-6-foot Rangers prospects Robbie Erlin and Robbie Ross before him, Buckel combines short stature, swing-and-miss stuff and results. An offseason workout routine with Diamondbacks prospect Trevor Bauer prior to the 2012 season provided Buckel with ammunition for his long-toss regimen, mechanics and repertoire. Scouting Report: Buckel claims tweaks to his delivery--which scouts compare to Tim Lincecum's--allowed him to maintain his velocity deeper into starts as he climbed to Double-A at age 20 in late June. He sits at 90-91 mph and touches 94 with running life, though his fastball plane tends to be flat. As a result, he leans on a repertoire of secondary pitches that grade as average or better. Buckel likes to pitch up in the strike zone with his fastball, then change eye levels with a plus curveball. He'll work to his glove side with a tight slider or slow bats with a solid changeup. He got in trouble at Frisco when he pitched backward, but improved as his fastball location got better. The Future: Buckel's repertoire and polish could be attractive in a back-of-the-rotation role to the Rangers or a club that trades for him. He could be ready for a big league audition by the second half of 2013 or early 2014. -
Background: The Rangers haven't been afraid of taking undersized pitchers in recent drafts, including the 6-foot Buckel. He opted to forego a Pepperdine commitment to sign for $590,000 as a second-round pick in 2010. He opened his first full season in extended spring training and then the Hickory bullpen before going 7-2, 2.04 with a 104-19 K-BB ratio in 17 starts.Scouting Report: Buckel's intelligence, mechanics and quirkiness are reminiscent of those of his best friend--Trevor Bauer, the No. 3 overall choice in the 2011 draft and his offseason workout partner. As with Bauer, Buckel's unorthodox and torque-heavy delivery creates deception. While he doesn't have overpowering stuff, he has a deep four-pitch mix, outstanding pitchability and a fiercely competitive nature. Buckel's fastball sits at 88-92 mph and touches 94 with armside run. He also throws a plus changeup, an average curveball with big break that he learned from Barry Zito and a short cutter/slider that induces grounders. Some scouts still worry about his size and durability, though his athleticism should help him.The Future: Buckel doesn't have incredible upside, but he has a low floor and could become a solid No. 3 starter. He'll headline Myrtle Beach's 2012 rotation and may move quickly because of his advanced feel for pitching.
