The Toronto Blue Jays added to an already stacked pitching staff by signing Cody Ponce to a multi-year deal.
Blue Jays World Series odds are among the shortest in the American League, with Ponce joining Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Trey Yesavage in arguably the AL’s best rotation.
Ponce won’t be one of the AL Cy Young favourites in the baseball betting markets, but his performances in the KBO made him a man in demand this offseason.
Cody Ponce Contract Details
The Blue Jays have signed Ponce to a three-year, $30 million deal. It comes after Ponce has spent four years in Japan and Korea, including winning KBO MVP in 2025.
Forty-six starting pitchers were on a contract with a higher AAV than Ponce in 2025.
Cody Ponce KBO Stats
Ponce posted a 1.89 ERA with 252 strikeouts across 180.2 innings in the KBO in 2025. He also had a 0.935 WHIP.
The high strikeout tally is particularly impressive given the contact-hitting nature of the KBO. It was a real breakout season for Ponce It was the most innings he’s thrown in a single campaign and a far better record than his 4.54 ERA across three seasons in Japan with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
Cody Ponce Pirates Stats
Ponce pitched in 20 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates across the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He started on five occasions and posted an overall ERA of 5.86 and an FIP of 5.47.
While his stats were poor across the board, the struggles against left-handed hitters were particularly notable. Lefties had a 1.039 OPS against Ponce.
Cody Ponce Scouting Report
A second-round pick in 2015, Ponce is different from the pitcher who struggled in the majors. He added some velocity to his fastball in 2025, sitting in the mid-90s and reaching 97 mph. He also introduced a splitter, which has proven to be very effective for his new teammates, Cease, Kevin Gausman, and Trey Yesavage.
Ponce had good command of his splitter, throwing it in and out of the zone and getting plenty of whiffs. His uptick in fastball velocity makes him a more viable big-league starter.
Comparisons can be made with Merrill Kelly, who also had a 30% K-BB% in his final KBO season. Ponce’s repertoire, including a cutter to right-handed hitters, gives him a chance to be at least as good as Kelly (3.77 ERA over seven seasons) has been since returning to MLB.
Cody Ponce Strikeouts Per Game
Ponce averaged 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings in 2025. He posted 8.7 strikeouts per start in a league renowned for its high batting averages.
The journeyman right-hander also set a KBO record with 18 strikeouts in a May start.
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