Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Cody Ponce delivered a flawless performance in his Major League Baseball spring training debut, tossing a perfect first inning with two strikeouts against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Electric Velocity and Command
Ponce hit a top speed of 96.7 mph (approximately 155 km/h) on his fastball during the outing at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida. Facing Parker Meadows first, he unleashed three 95-96 mph fastballs, all fouled off, followed by four more fouls before securing the strikeout with a 92.2 mph cutter on the 11th pitch.410
Against Kevin McGonigle next, Ponce dialed back to an 88.6 mph changeup for a swinging strikeout. He then reached a 2-ball, 1-strike count before fanning the side with an 88.8 mph changeup. Over 22 pitches, 16 were strikes, showcasing pinpoint control.
Record-Breaking KBO Season
Prior to joining Toronto, Ponce dominated the Korea Baseball Organization with the Hanwha Eagles. In 29 starts spanning 180 2/3 innings, he posted a 17-1 record, 1.89 ERA, and a league-record 252 strikeouts. His performance earned him regular-season MVP honors and propelled Hanwha to second place in the standings, though they fell 1-4 to the LG Twins in the Korean Series.9
MLB Return and Blue Jays Deal
The 31-year-old right-hander, who last pitched in MLB with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021, signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Blue Jays after his KBO triumph. Selected via the posting lottery from Hanwha, Ponce marks the team’s first big-league contributor in five years following the 2021 trade fire sale. His debut signals a strong comeback to the majors.
