Twins Complete Draft Day One
TWINS COMPLETE DRAFT DAY ONE
Select LHP Tyler Jay in Round One and RHP Kyle Cody in Round Two
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN - The Minnesota Twins announced tonight that they have selected left-handed pitcher Tyler Jay from the University of Illinois with the sixth overall selection in the first round and right-handed pitcher Kyle Cody from the University of Kentucky with the 73rd overall pick in the Competitive Balance Round B of the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Tyler Jay was rated by Baseball America as having the best breaking ball, best command and closest to the majors in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft. He went 5-2 with a 1.08 ERA (66.2 IP, 8 ER), 76 strikeouts and seven walks in 30 appearances (2 starts) for the Fighting Illini this season and finished his career 10-6 with a 1.68 ERA (128.2 IP, 24 ER), 30 walks and 143 strikeouts in 71 career appearance (2 starts) over three seasons for Illinois. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound left-hander was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American, and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, Golden Spikes Award and National Pitcher of the Year. The Illini closer holds the school record for saves in a single-season (14, 2015) and in a career (24).
Jay was recommended by Twins scout Jeff Pohl.
With their second round selection, the Twins drafted right-handed pitcher Kyle Cody from the University of Kentucky. The 20-year-old junior was rated as the 19th best prospect by Baseball America and the 40th best prospect by MLB.com entering the 2015 Draft. Cody went 4-4 with a 4.91 ERA (66.0 IP, 36 ER) with 17 walks and 63 strikeouts in 14 appearances (12 starts) for the Wildcats this season. In 47 career appearances (28 starts) over three seasons with Kentucky he went 11-7 with a 4.40 ERA (161.2 IP, 79 ER), 50 walks and 130 strikeouts. A native of Chippewa Falls, Wis., Cody was named the Wisconsin Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2012. The 6-foot-7, 245-pounder started for the Western Division in the 2014 Cape Cod League All-Star Game.
Cody was recommended by Twins scout Alan Sandberg.