The Braves have signed left-handed pitcher Austin Cox to a Major League contract and assigned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. Cox was previously with the Royals on a minor league deal, but was released earlier today by Triple-A Omaha, according to his MLB.com profile.
Cox has just 35 2/3 innings of Major League experience, posting a 4.54 ERA with the Royals in 2023, making it somewhat surprising that he received a guaranteed MLB deal. However, it’s not unusual for teams to offer a 40-man roster spot to secure a player’s services, even if they have minimal big league experience. The Braves may have also had an edge in signing him, as Cox is a native of Macon, Georgia, and now has the opportunity to play close to home.
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A fifth-round pick by the Royals in the 2018 draft, Austin Cox is joining a new organization for the first time in his professional career. His MLB debut in 2023 was cut short due to a torn ACL suffered in September, but he managed to return to action by mid-April 2024. Last season, Cox posted a 4.25 ERA with a 24% strikeout rate and 15.2% walk rate over 55 innings at Triple-A. In 2024, he improved significantly, recording a 3.55 ERA with a 32.7% strikeout rate and a 10.9% walk rate across 12 2/3 innings for Omaha.
Despite the uptick in his underlying stats, the Royals opted to move on from the 28-year-old. Now with Atlanta, Cox will get a fresh opportunity in an organization that’s already cycled through multiple bullpen arms at the big-league level. If he earns another call-up, he’ll join Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer as part of the Braves’ left-handed relief options.
