Prospect Profile: Ryan Cordell, Frisco Roughriders

This is a new series we’re starting here at Nolan Writin’ called, Prospect Profile. Each week, we’ll pick one prospect from the Texas Rangers minor league system and do a quick bio and stats update to familiarize fans with future Rangers.

Ryan Cordell is one of the prospects in the Texas Rangers system with the brightest future and fans can expect him in Arlington very soon.

With the Texas Rangers deep farm system are accustomed to seeing great young talent and Ryan Cordell is no exception. Cordell, 24, is currently with the Frisco Roughriders as an outfielder. Defensively he’s split time fairly evenly between all three spots but with the most time coming in right field. He’s played 169 innings of errorless baseball so far this season with 47 put-outs.

Most impressively is probably his performance on the offensive side of the game. So far this season, Cordell is hitting .351 through 20 games, which isn’t exactly a small sample size anymore. He’s got five homeruns to go along with his twenty-two RBI’s this season. In total, out of his 27 hits this year, 15 of them are for extra bases with 9 doubles, a triple and the aforementioned 5 homeruns. In 2015, he split time between Frisco and Hickory hitting a combined .270 across both levels. His .327 on-base percentage last year shows the features of a guy who finds himself in positions to allow his teammates to score runs.

At 6’4″ and 195 lbs, he has a similar build to current big leaguer, Nomar Mazara although a bit slimmer. He throws right and hits right with the tools to hit in the middle of the order once he develops. His bat speed is above average leading to power that is phenomenal especially when he squares up a pitch he can turn on. Here’s some evidence below.

To go along with his plus power and contact, Cordell has fantastic speed, stealing 20 bases in the minors last year. His main detriment so far is his struggles avoiding the strikeout of which he has 22 so far this year. Last season, Cordell struck out 126 times between both Double-A and Single-A. Scouts point to the increase in pitchers ability to locate with his struggles to take command of an at-bat and the strikeout.

“Cordell has some of the best all-around tools in the Rangers’ system and has a chance to be average or better across the board.” – MLB.com

MLB.com has him listed as the 15th best prospect in the Rangers system and said, “Cordell has some of the best all-around tools in the Rangers’ system and has a chance to be average or better across the board.” His main detriment so far is his struggles avoiding the strikeout of which he has 22 so far this year.

Outlook

Texas Rangers fans can expect Cordell up with the big league club by 2017 given his hitting ability and flexibility defensively. To go along with his outfield work, he does have experience on the left side of the infield. Here at Nolan Writin’, we have him projected as the starting left fielder for the Texas Rangers next year in an outfield that features tons of young talent.

Regardless of positional plans for the young outfielder, Texas fans have a lot to look forward to this all-around talented player.

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