Austin Cox

Austin Cox (born March 28, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut for the Royals in 2023.

Amateur career
Cox attended First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Georgia, where he played baseball and football. For his high school career, he went 15–6 with a 2.19 ERA. Undrafted in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, he fulfilled his commitment to play college baseball at Mercer University. In 2016, Cox's freshman year at Mercer, he pitched 24 innings, compiling a 2–2 record and a 10.13 ERA. As a sophomore in 2016, he started 15 games, going 4–2 with a 5.69 ERA. In 2018, his junior season, he was named Mercer's Friday night starter. Over 17 starts, Cox pitched to a 7–4 record with a 4.52 ERA, striking out 124 batters over $87 2⁄3$ innings.

Professional career
The Kansas City Royals selected Cox in the fifth round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Royals and made his professional debut with the Burlington Royals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, pitching to a 1–1 record and a 3.78 ERA over nine starts. In 2019, he began the year with the Lexington Legends of the Single–A South Atlantic League, with whom he was named an All-Star alongside earning Pitcher of the Week honors in early June. He was promoted to the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the High–A Carolina League in June, and finished the season there. Over 24 games (23 starts) between the two teams, he went 8–6 with a 2.76 ERA, compiling 129 strikeouts and 38 walks over $130 2⁄3$ innings. Cox did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Double-A Central, and was promoted to the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Triple-A East in late September. Over 17 games (16 starts) between the two clubs, Cox went 4-1 with a 4.10 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 63 innings. He returned to Omaha for the 2022 season. Over 29 games (24 starts), he went 7-7 with a 4.21 ERA and 105 strikeouts over $147 1⁄3$ innings. Cox began the 2023 season with Omaha, posting a 2.21 ERA, 22 strikeouts, and 11 walks in $20 1⁄3$ innings pitched across five games (four starts).

On May 3, 2023, Cox was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He proceeded to set a modern Major League Baseball record by not allowing a hit to any of the first 39 batters he faced. In 24 appearances for Kansas City, Cox logged a 4.54 ERA with 33 strikeouts in $35 2⁄3$ innings pitched. On September 8, Cox departed an outing against the Toronto Blue Jays after he was struck by an Alejandro Kirk come backer and collapsed in pain as he tried to cover first base. The next day, he was placed on the 60–day injured list, ending his season. On September 12, Cox was diagnosed with a full ACL tear in his left knee, as well as damage to his MCL in the same knee. On November 17, Cox was designated for assignment by the Royals following the acquisition of Nick Anderson. The following day, Kansas City re-signed him to a minor league contract.

Cox spent the 2024 campaign with Triple–A Omaha, compiling a 3.90 ERA with 31 strikeouts across 30 innings pitched. On July 11, 2024, Cox opted out of his minor league contract and elected free agency. Cox re–signed with the Royals on a new minor league contract on July 16.