Cody Ross

Cody Joseph Ross (born December 23, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who went by the nicknames "Toy Cannon" and "Ross the Boss." Over a 12-season MLB career, he played for the Detroit Tigers (2003), Los Angeles Dodgers (2005–2006), Cincinnati Reds (2006), Florida Marlins (2006–2010), San Francisco Giants (2010–2011), Boston Red Sox (2012), Arizona Diamondbacks (2013–2014), and Oakland Athletics (2015). He won a World Series with the Giants in 2010. Ross is also notable as one of the few major leaguers who batted right-handed but threw left-handed.

Ross grew up in Portales, New Mexico, where his father worked as a chiropractor and professional bull rider. As a kid, Ross dreamed of becoming a rodeo clown and would attend his father’s bull-riding events in full clown makeup. He gave up that ambition after his family moved to Dallas, Texas, and later returned to New Mexico. He played high school baseball at Carlsbad High School, also playing football through ninth grade. A Baseball America All-American in high school, he threw a five-inning perfect game as a senior and graduated in 1999.

The Detroit Tigers selected Ross in the fourth round of the 1999 MLB draft. He started his minor league career that year with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Tigers, batting .218 with 31 hits, eight doubles, three triples, four home runs, and 18 RBIs in 42 games. In 2000, playing for the Class A West Michigan Whitecaps, he was named Midwest League Player of the Week from June 18–24 after batting .636 with four runs, two doubles, a triple, and six RBIs. Over 122 games, he hit .267 with 116 hits, 17 doubles, nine triples, seven home runs, 68 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases; his nine triples tied for second in the league. Baseball America later called him the best outfield arm in the Tigers’ system.

In 2001, with the Class A-advanced Lakeland Tigers, Ross earned Florida State League Player of the Week honors twice: from June 18–24 (batting .516 with four steals, 11 runs, three doubles, two homers, and five RBIs) and from August 13–19 (batting .385). He played 127 games (10th in the league), hitting .276 with 84 runs (fifth), 133 hits (eighth), 34 doubles (second), five triples (tied for seventh), 15 home runs (tied for eighth), 80 RBIs (seventh), and 28 stolen bases (tied for eighth). Baseball America ranked him the ninth-best Tigers prospect and again cited his outfield arm as the best in the organization.

Ross moved to the AA Erie SeaWolves in 2002, earning spots on both the regular-season and postseason Eastern League All-Star teams. He was named Tigers Minor League Player of the Month in June after hitting .336 with 29 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 30 RBIs, and 10 steals; Topps gave him the same honor. A broken toe sidelined him from July 1 to August 2, limiting him to 105 games. He finished with 112 hits, 28 doubles, three triples, 72 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases; his 19 home runs tied for ninth in the league. He later played for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League. For the third straight year, Baseball America said he had the best outfield arm in the Tigers’ system.

Ross began 2003 with the AAA Toledo Mud Hens. The Tigers called him up on July 4, and he made his MLB debut that day, going hitless in two at-bats before being hit by a pitch and leaving the game in a 9–8 loss to the Kansas City Royals. He recorded his first hit on July 9, an RBI single off Bartolo Colón in a 4–2 win over the Chicago White Sox. After appearing in four games with just one hit, he was optioned back to Toledo on July 16 to make room for returning pitcher Danny Patterson. A torn ACL later cost him most of September.

Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers after spring training in 2004, Ross played sparingly for them in 2005. In 2006, he suited up for the Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, and Florida Marlins. He finally found a steady home in Florida, where he played through 2010. Used mostly as a reserve outfielder in 2006 and 2007, he became a starter in 2008 and remained one for the rest of his Marlins tenure, playing center or right field. In 2009, he hit a career-high 24 home runs and received the Marlins’ Charlie Hough Good Guy Award.

During the 2010 season, the Marlins placed Ross on waivers, and the San Francisco Giants claimed him. He became the Giants’ starting right fielder for the 2010 playoffs, earning National League Championship Series MVP honors after hitting five postseason home runs and helping the team win the World Series over the Texas Rangers. He re-signed with San Francisco for 2011, batting .240. In 2012, he signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, hitting 22 home runs while playing every day—despite the team’s initial plan for him to be a reserve. The Arizona Diamondbacks signed him to a three-year contract in December 2012, but a season-ending hip injury limited him to 94 games in his first year with the club. He later played for the Oakland Athletics in 2015.