Former Wichita State baseball pitcher Codi Heuer blossoming in MLB with Chicago Cubs
Following a mid-season trade from one Chicago MLB team to the other, former Wichita State baseball player Codi Heuer is carving out a permanent role in the major leagues this summer.
Since being included in a blockbuster trade that sent closer Craig Kimbrel to the Chicago White Sox on July 31, Heuer has been dominant for the Chicago Cubs. In the 17 games in August and September, the former Shocker has won three games and picked up a save all while sporting a minuscule 0.90 earned run average with 13 strikeouts in 20 innings of work.
Not a bad turn of events for the 25-year-old who was struggling for the White Sox (5.12 ERA in 40 appearances) before the trade.
Watching a former Shocker blossom for the Cubs has been a delight to Chicago pitching coach Tommy Hottovy, a 2004 Wichita State alum.
“He’s a Wichita State guy,” Hottovy told NBC Chicago in late August. “All my Wichita State people were calling me and texting me as soon as we got him, saying I’d love him.”
Recruited by former WSU baseball coach Todd Butler in 2015, Heuer had his best season as a Shocker in his junior year in 2018 when he started 15 games and finished with a 6-5 record, 4.31 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 79-plus innings.
Heuer was drafted by the White Sox in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Draft and quickly worked his way up the organization’s ranks, debuting in the majors last summer. He had a good amount of success as a rookie, maintaining a 1.52 ERA in 21 relief appearances with 25 strikeouts in 23-plus innings pitched.
While he struggled for the first half of his sophomore season, Heuer has been lights out since moving to the south side of Chicago.
“I’m excited for what the future holds here,” Heuer told NBC Chicago. “They see a lot of value in me and that’s been awesome. They’ve been nothing but welcoming to me on this side. It’s been awesome so far.”
While Heuer left the division-leading White Sox and joined a rebuilding situation with the Cubs, the opportunities to pitch the eighth and ninth innings for the Cubs this summer has proven to boost his stock in the organization’s view.
Hottovy raved about Heuer’s upside to the local media.
“He likes the ball in big moments and he’s not afraid of those,” Hottovy said. “He’s got the makings of being a really good back-end bullpen piece for us for a long time. His willingness to continue to improve through that process and work on new things and try new things that we’ve pushed on him has potential to make him that much better.
“I think he’s hungry for that and he wants it.”
It remains to be seen if Heuer can develop into a trusted set-up man or closer for the Cubs in the long term, but he’s certainly making an appealing case for himself this summer.
“He’s got a lot of the ingredients that need to be there for guys to take over late in games,” Hottovy said. “Definitely somebody we’re going to keep putting in those situations and watch him thrive.
“A lot of that stuff will play out as the years go by, but he’s definitely somebody we see as a high leverage, back-end piece for sure.”
Other Shockers in pro baseball
Sam Hilliard, 27, Colorado Rockies (MLB)
Since leaving Wichita State in 2015 and being drafted in the 15th round by the Colorado Rockies, Hilliard has been a pleasant surprise to become a major-league presence for the last three seasons. He’s hit 22 home runs in 125 games for the Rockies, including nine this season with 20 RBI’s. He is currently starting in the outfield for the Rockies, who are out of the playoff race, while his batting average has dipped to .183 this season.
Alec Bohm, 25, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA)
After a standout three-year career with the Shockers from 2016-18, Bohm was drafted No. 3 overall in the 2018 MLB Draft and reached the majors last summer. He was one of the brightest spots in a disappointing Phillies season, as he hit .338 in 44 games. Things didn’t go as smoothly this season for Bohm trying to establish himself as Philadelphia’s everyday third baseman. He struggled at the plate, as his average dipped to .245, and his fielding at third base (15 errors, 93.6% fielding percentage) also dipped. Bohm was ultimately demoted to Triple-A on August 22 and is currently being held out as a precaution due to a hand injury.
Greyson Jenista, 24, Mississippi Braves (AA)
Since leaving Wichita State following the 2018 season and being drafted in the second round of the MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves, Jenista has been slowly working his way up the ladder in the organization. He’s now playing for the Braves’ Double-A affiliate in Mississippi, where he is batting .214 with a .344 on-base percentage to go along with 18 home runs, 39 RBI’s, 41 runs scored in 83 games.
Luke Ritter, 24, Brooklyn Cyclones (A)
Ritter was one of Wichita State’s most dangerous hitters on its first two teams that played in the American in 2018 and 2019. After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the New York Mets, Ritter has been an everyday player for the club’s Advanced-A team in Brooklyn, where he is hitting .236 with 11 home runs, 37 RBI’s, 26 runs in 65 games played. He was ranked the No. 33 prospect in the Mets’ farm system by prospects1500.com.
Clayton McGinness, 24, Aberdeen IronBirds (A)
Another 2019 Wichita State graduate, McGinness was taken by the Baltimore Orioles in the 20th round and has been playing for the organization’s Advanced-A team in Aberdeen this summer. McGinness has found some success in a transition to a reliever, as he sports a 3.25 earned run average in 36 innings of work with 38 strikeouts and only 18 walks.
Cody Tyler, 26, Fort Wayne TinCaps (A)
Taken by the San Diego Padres in the 32nd round of the 2018 MLB Draft, Tyler has spent the majority of his three-year career in A ball. He was pitching for the organization’s Advanced-A team in Fort Wayne, but suffered an injury and has been out since June. In 16 games for Fort Wayne, Tyler had an 11.76 ERA in 20-plus innings of work to go along with 17 strikeouts and six walks.
Gunnar Troutwine, 25, Winston-Salem Dash (A)
Following a breakout senior season at Wichita State in 2018, Troutwine was scooped up by the Chicago White Sox in the ninth round of the MLB Draft. He has played six games at the Double-A level, but he has spent most of this summer at the Advanced-A level in Winston-Salem. He is currently hitting .270 this season with five home runs, 14 RBI’s and 24 runs scored in 47 games at both levels.
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