| Jimmy Cordero | |
| Team: | Chiba Lotte Marines |
| Number: | 69 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 19 October 1991 |
| Birth Place: | San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | August 2 |
| Debutyear: | 2018 |
| Debutteam: | Washington Nationals |
| Debut2league: | NPB |
| Debut2date: | July 4 |
| Debut2year: | 2024 |
| Debut2team: | Chiba Lotte Marines |
| Statyear: | 2023 season |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 6–7 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 4.36 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 99 |
| Stat2year: | July 7, 2024 |
| Stat2league: | NPB |
| Stat21label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat21value: | 0–0 |
| Stat22label: | Earned run average |
| Stat22value: | 0.00 |
| Stat23label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat23value: | 0 |
| Teams: | |
Jimmy Gerard Cordero (born October 19, 1991) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees.
Cordero signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent in January 2012. Cordero spent time in the minors with the Blue Jays organization through the 2015 season.
The Blue Jays traded Cordero along with Alberto Tirado to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ben Revere on July 31, 2015.[1] On November 20, the Phillies added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[2]
In December 2016, the Phillies completed a trade with the Washington Nationals, sending Cordero in exchange for minor league pitcher Mario Sanchez.[3] [4] He started the 2017 season pitching for the Double–A Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League.[5] The Nationals designated him for assignment, removing him from their 40-man roster, on July 31, 2017, to make room for the acquisition of closer Brandon Kintzler.[6] After being outrighted to Harrisburg, he finished his season with a 6.84 ERA over 51⅓ innings. He was invited to participate in the Nationals' 2018 spring training camp the following year.[7]
Cordero was promoted to the major leagues on August 1, 2018, after the Nationals designated veteran reliever Shawn Kelley for assignment.[8] [9] He made his major league debut on August 2 against the Cincinnati Reds.[10] He spent the early weeks of the season with the Nationals′ Triple–A affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League, where he compiled a 6.00 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, and 17-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 15 innings of work.[11] On May 9, 2019, the Nationals signed outfielder Gerardo Parra to a one-year deal and designated Cordero for assignment to make room for Parra on their 40-man roster.[12]
The Toronto Blue Jays claimed Cordero off waivers on May 15, 2019,[11] [13] and assigned him to the Triple–A Buffalo Bisons of the International League.[11] He was recalled on May 21, and designated for assignment on May 23.[14]
On May 27, 2019, Cordero was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners and assigned to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers.[15]
He was claimed by the Chicago White Sox on June 7.[16] He registered an ERA of 2.75 in 30 games for Chicago. On September 26, 2020, Cordero received a 3-game suspension stemming from the night before in which he intentionally hit Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras after Contreras had hit a home run and flipped his bat off of teammate Dylan Cease earlier in the game.[17] With the 2020 Chicago White Sox, Cordero appeared in 30 games, compiling a 1–2 record with 6.08 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched.[18]
Cordero underwent Tommy John surgery on March 18, 2021. The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews.[19] Cordero missed the entire 2021 season recovering from the surgery; he was placed on the 60-day injured list on March 21.[20] On November 5, 2021, Cordero was outrighted off of the 40-man roster and elected free agency.[21]
On December 16, 2021, Cordero signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees.[22] He had a 2.09 ERA in innings for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in 2022. On November 10, 2022, the Yankees added Cordero to their 40-man roster.[23]
Cordero made the Yankees' Opening Day roster for the 2023 season.[24] On July 5, MLB suspended Cordero for the remainder of the season for violating the league's policy against domestic violence.[25] In 31 appearances for the Yankees, he posted a 3.86 ERA with 34 strikeouts across innings of work. Following the season on November 2, Cordero was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Scranton.[26] He elected free agency on November 6.[27]
On December 6, 2023, Cordero signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball.[28]
Cordero is known for a fastball that sits in the high 90s, can hit 100 mph, and has been clocked as fast as 104 mph.[29] He also throws a slider and an occasional curveball. Throughout his career, scouts have noted Cordero's struggles to command his power pitches.[30] [31]