Ponce is a former second-round draft pick, selected in the 2015 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. The right-hander attended California State Polytechnic University, a D1 program.
He played six seasons in the minor leagues and two seasons in the big leagues before heading overseas, where he pitched for four seasons. His most recent season in 2025 was in the KBO League with the Hanwha Eagles.
Ponce’s stats
The Blue Jays followed Ponce and his performance this past season. It was his performance in 2025 that highlighted his value for a major league contract. In the KBO, Ponce won 17 games and lost only one in 29 starts.
He pitched 180 and 2/3 innings, striking out a KBO single-season record 252 batters while allowing just 41 walks. Ponce also kept the opponent’s run production to a minimum, allowing just 38 earned runs, 10 home runs and 128 hits against 697 batters.
The other impressive stat was his 1.89 ERA throughout 2025, ultimately making him the KBO MVP. Ponce has pitched for the KBO in Japan since 2022. In 2024, he finished with 127 innings on the Rakuten Golden Eagles, pitching in both the major league equivalent and their minor league system.
Blue Jays and RHP Cody Ponce agree to a three-year deal, according to multiple reports, including MLB’s @Feinsand. Ponce was named KBO League MVP this past season, with a 17-1 record and an ERA of 1.89.
Ponce maintained a good separation between strikeouts and walks throughout his career, especially lately. The right-hander has just two Major League seasons under his belt (2020 and 2021), during which pitching was kept to a minimum. Most of his professional mound work came in the minor leagues.
Synopsis and analysis
Ponce is right-handed, stands at 6-foot-1 and is built all around with strength from the ground up. His arm strength is reflected in his speed, and he is able to be consistent in his mechanical approach and execution.
When he started in the Major Leagues, he was equipped with a four-seam fastball, a cutter, a curveball, a slider, a changeup and a sinker. The right-hander now relies primarily on his heater, the curveball and the splitter, which is one of his main attractions, similar to other starters on the Jays staff.
Ponce throws a ton of strikes, fills the zone and can last several innings in the game. He’s built to start, but could be a huge asset to the Blue Jays’ bullpen depending on what the organization does this winter.
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