The Atlanta Braves have signed left-handed pitcher Austin Cox to a Major League contract and assigned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. Previously with the Kansas City Royals on a minor league deal, Cox was released earlier today by Triple-A Omaha, according to his MLB.com profile.
Cox has limited MLB experience, having thrown 35 2/3 innings with a 4.54 ERA for the Royals in 2023. While it’s somewhat unexpected for a player with such a short big league track record to receive a guaranteed roster spot, teams often offer 40-man contracts to outbid competitors for players with potential. Additionally, Atlanta may have had a home-field edge in signing Cox — the 28-year-old hails from Macon, Georgia.
A fifth-round pick by Kansas City in the 2018 draft, Cox had spent his entire professional career with the Royals until now. His rookie MLB season ended prematurely due to a torn ACL in September 2023, but he made a full recovery and returned to action by April 2024. Last season at Triple-A, he posted a 4.25 ERA with a 24% strikeout rate and 15.2% walk rate over 55 innings. In a strong start to 2024, he logged a 3.55 ERA with a 32.7% strikeout rate and 10.9% walk rate over 12 2/3 innings.
Despite those improved numbers, the Royals opted to release Cox. He now joins a Braves organization that has frequently shuffled bullpen arms this season. If he earns a call-up, Cox could become part of Atlanta’s left-handed relief corps alongside Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer.
