The Oakland Athletics selected LHP Cody Puckett, a former DCHS Tiger, in the 30th round with the 861st pick of the 2017 MLB Draft Wednesday afternoon.
Puckett has spent the last two years as a Middle Tennessee Blue Raider after transferring from Columbia State Community College, making 29 appearances on the mound in a Middle Tennessee uniform. The southpaw has a career 6-6 record, to go along with a 4.57 ERA and 101 strikeouts.
“I’m extremely happy for the opportunity that Cody has,” said Head Coach Jim McGuire. “Oakland has followed him over the past year, and he’s pitched really well when their scouts were at our games.”
The lefty made nine starts this season and led the team with 71 strikeouts. Puckett also ranked 44th in the country in Strikeouts per Nine Innings with 10.89. He finished the 2017 season with the lowest ERA amongst the starting rotation, compiling a 4.76 ERA.
The Smithville, Tennessean, showed his brilliance on the mound against Rice, throwing the best game of his career, going seven scoreless innings, allowing four hits, while striking out eight.
Puckett, who starred as a pitcher/outfielder at DeKalb County High School, posted a 9-4 record and registered more than 125 strikeouts in two seasons at Columbia State. Puckett was a member of the weekend rotation both seasons at Columbia State and helped lead the team to the JUCO World Series in 2014 when he posted a 5-0 record.
Puckett was the District 8-AA Pitcher of the Year as a junior at DeKalb County, where he led the Tigers to two Class AA state tournament appearances. He graduated from DCHS in 2013.
Puckett is the second Blue Raider to be taken in the draft after shortstop Riley Delgado (a teammate of Puckett’s at Columbia State CC) was picked by the Atlanta Braves in the 9th round yesterday afternoon.
“I’m very proud of how far Cody has come in his career, he’s worked really hard to get to this point,” concluded McGuire.
More information on Cody Puckett is as follows:
2017 (Senior at Middle Tennessee):
• Made 12 appearances, and a team second best nine starts
• Compiled the lowest era amongst the starting rotation, 2nd on the team with a 4.76 ERA.
• Ranked 44th in the nation in Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (10.89)
• Led the team with 71 strikeouts
• Struck out a career-high 10 batters on two separate occasions, vs. WKU (3/26/17) and vs. nationally-ranked Southern Miss (4/29/17)
• Dominated Rice (5/13) tying a career-high throwing seven scoreless innings, while only allowing four hits, two walks, and striking out eight in the 13-1 win
• In his first appearance of the season at Memphis (3/8), he threw four scoreless innings and earned his first win of the year.
• Named TSWA Pitcher of the Week (5/18)
• Named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll
2016 (Junior): Tied for team lead with three wins … Made 17 appearances, all in relief … Posted a 3-2 record with 4.22 ERA and three saves … Notched first career win in first appearance as a Blue Raider, pitching 2-2/3 innings and allowing no hits or runs with two strikeouts vs. Indiana … Also earned wins vs. Lipscomb (2/23) and Kennesaw State (3/11) … Collected first career save with three-innings of one-hit, shutout relief and four strikeouts at South Alabama (3/4) … Also collected saves vs. Florida Atlantic (3/18) and No. 5 Vanderbilt (3/22) … Worked more than one inning in 12 of 17 appearances … Allowed no hits in four appearances and one hit or less in 11 … Career-high five strikeouts in two innings of work vs. Miami (Ohio) … Power pitcher had at least one strikeout in 14 of 17 appearances and multiple strikeouts in eight outings … Career-high 3-2/3 innings at Old Dominion, allowing one hit … Named to C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Columbia State CC: Started 11 games and went 4-4 with a 4.60 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 62.2 innings … Named second team All-TJCAA as a freshman … Started 13 games, going 5-0 with a 3.14 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 66 innings during freshman campaign … Helped the Chargers make it to the Junior College World Series in 2014.
DeKalb County: Held a 30-3 career record and 1.54 ERA for the Tigers … Named the District 8-AA Pitcher of the Year as a junior … Perfect Game Underclass All-American Honorable Mention in 2012 and 2013.
Personal: Born March 29, 1995 in Knob Noster, Mo. … Son of Lisa Puckett … Has one brother, Jake, and one sister, Krista … Major is Leisure, Sport and Tourism Studies.
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