Ryan Cordell

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #18 prospect in 2017
  An athletic outfielder who toyed around at third base and shortstop at times while in the Rangers system, Cordell joined the Brewers after the 2016 minor league season as the player to be named in the Jonathan Lucroy deal. Milwaukee also picked up outfielder Lewis Brinson and righthander Luis Ortiz in that transaction. The Brewers plan to play Cordell exclusively in the outfield. They selected him off a short list even though he had suffered a high ankle sprain crashing into a wall the day after the Lurcroy trade was consummated and didn't play again. Cordell has good bat speed and developing power and made adjustments as he moved through the Rangers system. Though he hit just .264 at Double-A Frisco, he slammed 46 extra-base hits and ranked third in the Texas League with a .220 isolated slugging percentage. Cordell's strikeout rate rose accordingly and he won't be a huge source of on-base percentage. In addition to above-average power, he also possesses plus speed that makes him a threat on the bases and a gap-to-gap fly chaser in center field. He split his time at all three outfield spots at Frisco and has the arm to fill any of the positions. He is ready for Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2017.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #11 prospect in 2016
  The Rangers have snapped up physical, tooled-up players in the draft, a mold Cordell fits, though he was a more under-the-radar selection as an 11th-rounder out of Liberty in 2013. Cordell built upon a strong 2014 season with an encouraging first half in the high Class A California League, but he struggled when he got to Double-A Frisco at the end of June. Cordell is a tall, lithe athlete with a simple swing. In 2014, Cordell worked to create more separation with his hands to load his trigger, but his swing otherwise has so little movement that it lacks rhythm, which forces him to use his body too much and takes away from his fluidity. He uses the whole field and has very good hands at the plate, so he's at his best when he's able to create rhythm with his hands. Cordell has long arms but never swung and missed much in the lower minors, though when he got to Double-A, he started chasing more pitches and his strikeout rate nearly doubled. Cordell has the bat speed and raw power to hit 20 home runs and the above-average speed to make him a 20-20 threat. Originally an outfielder, Cordell began the 2015 season as a shortstop, moved to center field, then split time between third base and all three outfield spots. He has a strong arm but lacks natural infield actions and fits best in the outfield, with a chance to play center or become an above-average defender on a corner. Cordell will likely return to Frisco to re-group at that level, where he will likely play in the outfield primarily but should see time at third and perhaps first base. He could develop into an offensive player along the lines of Jake Marisnick, though he doesn't have the same defensive skills.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #11 prospect in 2015
  Cordell, who signed for $100,000 as an 11th-round pick in 2013, could be a steal. He worked to create better separation with his hands to load his swing, which helped him see the ball better and allowed him to better use his hands. Cordell's swing can get long, but he makes consistent contact, uses the whole field, shows solid strike-zone management and the power for 20 home runs. He's a good athlete for his size, a legitimate plus runner and efficient basestealer. His speed allows him to play center field, where he gets good reads off the bat, and he has a strong arm to play anywhere in the outfield. The Rangers even experimented with him in the infield before games and during instructional league at third base and shortstop, though Cordell probably will stick in the outfield. He evokes memories of Jason Bay, another physical, athletic outfielder with good tools in his early days who also was a late-round pick.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #196 prospect in 2013 draft
  Cordell, who came to Liberty all the way from San Jose, Calif., was recruited as a two-way player, but after pitching just five innings as a freshman he focused on hitting. He ranked as the top prospect in the Great Lakes League last summer after hitting .336/.371/.632 with six home runs and showing five-tool ability. He had not been as productive this spring, however, batting .289/.333/.451 with a week left in the season. His swing can get long and he'll sometimes get beaten by mediocre stuff, but he does have tools. He stands out with a 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame and flashes power. He's a plus runner with a strong arm and should be able to hold down center field. If he can make adjustments at the plate, scouts love his upside, and a team that believes in him could take him in the fifth or sixth round.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked California League #15 prospect in 2015
  Cordell now ranks as one of the Rangers' better prospects after being an unheralded 11th-round pick from Liberty in 2013. He rolled through the Cal League in the first half of 2015, posting the fifth-best OPS (.904) before moving up to Double-A Frisco on June 21. Cordell has a simple, direct swing with few moving parts, which bodes well for his ability to hit for average. He showed solid plate discipline at High Desert and reliably laid off breaking pitches outside the zone, though his poor showing in Double-A--a .217 average with 73 whiffs in 56 games--drove home the point that he still has adjustments to make. He has the bat speed to keep hitting his share of home runs at higher levels. A tall, lithe athlete, Cordell began the year at shortstop, moved to center field and ended at third base. While his arm is good enough for the left side of the infield, he lacks range and fluidity, profiling more as an outfielder.

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  The Rangers have snapped up physical, tooled-up players in the draft, a mold Cordell fits, though he was a more under-the-radar selection as an 11th-rounder out of Liberty in 2013. Cordell built upon a strong 2014 season with an encouraging first half in the high Class A California League, but he struggled when he got to Double-A Frisco at the end of June. Cordell is a tall, lithe athlete with a simple swing. In 2014, Cordell worked to create more separation with his hands to load his trigger, but his swing otherwise has so little movement that it lacks rhythm, which forces him to use his body too much and takes away from his fluidity. He uses the whole field and has very good hands at the plate, so he's at his best when he's able to create rhythm with his hands. Cordell has long arms but never swung and missed much in the lower minors, though when he got to Double-A, he started chasing more pitches and his strikeout rate nearly doubled. Cordell has the bat speed and raw power to hit 20 home runs and the above-average speed to make him a 20-20 threat. Originally an outfielder, Cordell began the 2015 season as a shortstop, moved to center field, then split time between third base and all three outfield spots. He has a strong arm but lacks natural infield actions and fits best in the outfield, with a chance to play center or become an above-average defender on a corner. Cordell will likely return to Frisco to re-group at that level, where he will likely play in the outfield primarily but should see time at third and perhaps first base. He could develop into an offensive player along the lines of Jake Marisnick, though he doesn't have the same defensive skills.