Kodi Whitley Stats & Scouting Report

IP	42
ERA	3.429
WHIP	1.19
BB/9	4.714
SO/9	9.429

Full name Kodi James Whitley
Born 02/21/1995 in Clayton, NC
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Mount Olive
Debut 07/26/2020
Drafted in the 27th round (814th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017 (signed for $75,000).

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: Drafted in the 27th round in 2017 out of Mount Olive (N.C.), Whitley quickly showed he was a valuable late-round pick, posting a 2.51 ERA at Low-A in 2018, breezing from High-A to Triple-A in 2019 while posting a 1.60 ERA in 50 appearances and making the team’s alternate training site in 2020. Whitley, who made his big league debut in 2020, impressed out of the Cardinals bullpen in 2021 with a 2.49 ERA while proving to be one of the team’s more reliable relievers.

Scouting Report: Whitley leads his arsenal with an above-average fastball that has reached 97-98 mph at times, but averaged 93.7 mph at the big league level in 2021. The pitch has carry up in the zone and induced a 25% whiff rate. His best secondary is a mid-80s slider, an above-average offering that had a 42.9% whiff rate against MLB hitters, and he rounds out his arsenal with a mid-80s changeup. Whitley has a repeatable delivery and has no trouble working north and south in the strike zone. He has above-average control.

The Future: Whitley should make the Cardinals Opening Day roster in 2022. He has the upside of a medium-leverage reliever.
TRACK RECORD: The Cardinals spotted and signed Whitley despite him throwing only 4.1 innings as a redshirt junior at Division II Mount Olive as he returned from Tommy John surgery. Whitley has reworked his delivery to better use his legs and drive off the mound, transforming himself into a fastmoving power reliever. He made the Cardinals' Opening Day roster but was added to the 10-day injured list during the Cardinals' coronavirus shutdown. He missed further time with a sore elbow, but returned late in September and made the postseason roster.

SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley's delivery is extremely short in the back, as he simply rocks into loading his plant leg and then explodes to the plate. It's a simple delivery and he repeats it well, showing above-average control. He works up and down in the strike zone, elevating a 92-95 mph above-average fastball that has above-average carry at the top of the zone. He has touched 97-98 in the past, but didn't reach those heights in the majors in 2020. Whitley's fastball sets up a mid-80s above-average slider that dives below the zone much more than it tilts. The former starter has more comfort throwing his straight mid-80s fringe-average changeup than most relievers. Because he works up and down, he doesn't have a significant platoon disadvantage.

THE FUTURE: Whitley should fit nicely in the Cardinals' 2021 bullpen. His combination of stuff and control gives him a shot at a significant role as a setup man.
TRACK RECORD: Whitley missed all of 2016 after having Tommy John surgery and pitched only three games the following season for Division II Mount Olive (N.C.). The Cardinals saw enough to draft him in the 27th round and signed him for $75,000. Whitley quickly rewarded their faith, reaching Triple-A Memphis in his second full season and logging a 2.01 ERA over 104 career appearances.

SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley is a big-armed, 6-foot-4 righthander who looks the part of a major league reliever. He powers his four-seam fastball downhill at 94-97 mph, getting swings and misses in all parts of the strike zone. Whitley complements his heater with a vertical 84-85 mph slider that dives under barrels and a fading 83-84 mph changeup that neutralizes lefties. Whitley's control occasionally escapes him, but he stays around the strike zone enough to be competitive. Despite being a fly-ball pitcher, he has allowed only five home runs in 156.2 career professional innings.

THE FUTURE: Whitley has the stuff and steady demeanor to pitch in high-leverage relief. He should join the Cardinals bullpen in 2020.

Scouting Reports

Track Record: Drafted in the 27th round in 2017 out of Mount Olive (N.C.), Whitley quickly showed he was a valuable late-round pick, posting a 2.51 ERA at Low-A in 2018, breezing from High-A to Triple-A in 2019 while posting a 1.60 ERA in 50 appearances and making the team’s alternate training site in 2020. Whitley, who made his big league debut in 2020, impressed out of the Cardinals bullpen in 2021 with a 2.49 ERA while proving to be one of the team’s more reliable relievers.

Scouting Report: Whitley leads his arsenal with an above-average fastball that has reached 97-98 mph at times, but averaged 93.7 mph at the big league level in 2021. The pitch has carry up in the zone and induced a 25% whiff rate. His best secondary is a mid-80s slider, an above-average offering that had a 42.9% whiff rate against MLB hitters, and he rounds out his arsenal with a mid-80s changeup. Whitley has a repeatable delivery and has no trouble working north and south in the strike zone. He has above-average control.

The Future: Whitley should make the Cardinals Opening Day roster in 2022. He has the upside of a medium-leverage reliever.
TRACK RECORD: The Cardinals spotted and signed Whitley despite him throwing only 4.1 innings as a redshirt junior at Division II Mount Olive as he returned from Tommy John surgery. Whitley has reworked his delivery to better use his legs and drive off the mound, transforming himself into a fastmoving power reliever. He made the Cardinals' Opening Day roster but was added to the 10-day injured list during the Cardinals' coronavirus shutdown. He missed further time with a sore elbow, but returned late in September and made the postseason roster.

SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley's delivery is extremely short in the back, as he simply rocks into loading his plant leg and then explodes to the plate. It's a simple delivery and he repeats it well, showing above-average control. He works up and down in the strike zone, elevating a 92-95 mph above-average fastball that has above-average carry at the top of the zone. He has touched 97-98 in the past, but didn't reach those heights in the majors in 2020. Whitley's fastball sets up a mid-80s above-average slider that dives below the zone much more than it tilts. The former starter has more comfort throwing his straight mid-80s fringe-average changeup than most relievers. Because he works up and down, he doesn't have a significant platoon disadvantage.

THE FUTURE: Whitley should fit nicely in the Cardinals' 2021 bullpen. His combination of stuff and control gives him a shot at a significant role as a setup man.
TRACK RECORD: The Cardinals spotted and signed Whitley despite him throwing only 4.1 innings as a redshirt junior at Division II Mount Olive as he returned from Tommy John surgery. Whitley has reworked his delivery to better use his legs and drive off the mound, transforming himself into a fastmoving power reliever. He made the Cardinals' Opening Day roster but was added to the 10-day injured list during the Cardinals' coronavirus shutdown. He missed further time with a sore elbow, but returned late in September and made the postseason roster.

SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley's delivery is extremely short in the back, as he simply rocks into loading his plant leg and then explodes to the plate. It's a simple delivery and he repeats it well, showing above-average control. He works up and down in the strike zone, elevating a 92-95 mph above-average fastball that has above-average carry at the top of the zone. He has touched 97-98 in the past, but didn't reach those heights in the majors in 2020. Whitley's fastball sets up a mid-80s above-average slider that dives below the zone much more than it tilts. The former starter has more comfort throwing his straight mid-80s fringe-average changeup than most relievers. Because he works up and down, he doesn't have a significant platoon disadvantage.

THE FUTURE: Whitley should fit nicely in the Cardinals' 2021 bullpen. His combination of stuff and control gives him a shot at a significant role as a setup man.
TRACK RECORD: Whitley missed all of 2016 after having Tommy John surgery and pitched only three games the following season for Division II Mount Olive (N.C.). The Cardinals saw enough to draft him in the 27th round and sign him for $75,000. Whitley quickly rewarded their faith, reaching Triple-A Memphis in his second full season and logging a 2.01 ERA over 104 career appearances.

SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley is a big-armed, 6-foot-4 righthander who looks the part of a major league reliever. He powers his four-seam fastball downhill at 94-97 mph, getting swings and misses in all parts of the strike zone. Whitley complements his heater with a vertical 84-85 mph slider that dives under barrels and a fading 83-84 mph changeup that neutralizes lefties. Whitley’s control occasionally escapes him, but he stays around the strike zone enough to be competitive. Despite being a fly-ball pitcher, he has allowed only five home runs in 156.2 career professional innings.

THE FUTURE: He has the stuff and steady demeanor to pitch in high-leverage relief. He should join the Cardinals bullpen in 2020.
TRACK RECORD: Whitley missed all of 2016 after having Tommy John surgery and pitched only three games the following season for Division II Mount Olive (N.C.). The Cardinals saw enough to draft him in the 27th round and signed him for $75,000. Whitley quickly rewarded their faith, reaching Triple-A Memphis in his second full season and logging a 2.01 ERA over 104 career appearances.

SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley is a big-armed, 6-foot-4 righthander who looks the part of a major league reliever. He powers his four-seam fastball downhill at 94-97 mph, getting swings and misses in all parts of the strike zone. Whitley complements his heater with a vertical 84-85 mph slider that dives under barrels and a fading 83-84 mph changeup that neutralizes lefties. Whitley's control occasionally escapes him, but he stays around the strike zone enough to be competitive. Despite being a fly-ball pitcher, he has allowed only five home runs in 156.2 career professional innings.

THE FUTURE: Whitley has the stuff and steady demeanor to pitch in high-leverage relief. He should join the Cardinals bullpen in 2020.