Kody Funderburk Demoted to Triple-A, Replaced by Top Pitching Prospect

After nearly blowing the game in the ninth inning on Saturday night, left-handed reliever Kody Funderburk has been optioned from the Minnesota Twins to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints.

With the game tied 1-1 in Cleveland, Funderburk walked two batters and was pulled with one out and runners at second and third. Eric Orze got the Twins out of the jam, and Byron Buxton's double off the wall gave the Twins an improbable 2-1 victory in 11 innings.

At first glance, Funderburk's numbers look solid. The 29-year-old lefty has a 2.81 ERA in 19 relief appearances this season, but his control issues have been problematic. He's walked 13 batters and struck out just 10. As it turns out, walking 18.6% of the batters you face is a recipe for disaster in Major League Baseball.

According to Baseball Savant, Funderburk's walk percentage ranks in the 1st percentile, which means 99% of MLB pitchers have a lower walk rate. With a strikeout rate not much better, in the 8th percentile, there's very little room for error when Funderburk pitches.

If he could get rid of the walk problem, he might be a really good reliever. His barrel and hard-hit rates are in the 83rd and 91st percentiles, respectively. He also does a great job of keeping the ball on the ground, sporting a ground ball rate in the 88th percentile.

The Twins have called up lefty prospect Kendry Rojas to take Funderburk's spot on the 26-man roster.

Ironically, Rojas, in two innings with the Twins earlier this season, gave up two hits and walked three batters without allowing a run. But he has the pedigree of a top pitching prospect, and his numbers are great at Triple-A St. Paul, where he has a 2.21 ERA in six games this season. He's struck out 17 batters and walked seven in 16 1/3 innings.

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