Player Name: Cody McPartland
School: Dowling College
Position: RHP
McPartland possesses a big, 6’2″ 220-lb frame. He has a compact delivery and turns slightly towards center field to generate more torque, a la AJ Burnett.
He was the runner-up for the Pitcher of the Year in the Hamptons League in 2014. With the graduation of their starting staff, the Golden Lions will look to McPartland to lead the way and match up against the opposition’s ace.
He works mainly in the mid-to-upper 80s with his fastball. He did not use his breaking ball much in the March 11 start against New Haven, but it is a pitch he has quality feel for. When he was struggling with his fastball, he often reverted to the curveball to regain his rhythm.
Despite allowing only one run in the start, McPartland was hit around a little. He allowed a well-struck double to the warning track in right field in the first inning. The following batter smoked a single to left field. He allowed a stolen base to get two runners in scoring position, but escaped the jam with a strikeout on a perfectly executed fastball on the outside corner.
In the second inning, he allowed a leadoff walk, a HBP and a bloop single over third base to put him in a jam. He followed it up with a 5-2-3 double play to sidestep disaster and escaped any trouble with a 6-3 groundout.
*UPDATE*
In his April 11 start against LIU Post, he worked mainly 82-86 MPH with a 75 MPH change up and 76 MPH curve. He was tremendous for five innings, but got into trouble in the sixth when his fastball leaked over the plate. He ended up being charged with two runs. He was efficient with his pitches, throwing eight pitches in the third, 10 in the fourth and 14 in the fifth. He threw nearly 70 percent strikes.
