Cody Anderson has been pitching great. ( Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
PITTSBURGH — Cody Anderson has been a sensation through his first three starts with the Cleveland Indians, going 1-1 with a 0.76 ERA.
The 24-year-old rookie right-hander has allowed just two runs and 14 hits in 23 2/3 innings while striking out 10 and walking one only.
Anderson was the Indians’ 14th-round draft pick in 2011 from Feather River College in Quincy, Calif. He was not considered a top prospect until this season when he went 3-2 with a 1.73 ERA in 10 starts with Double-A Akron and 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three starts with Triple-A Columbus.
Catcher Yan Gomes believes a large part of Anderson’s early success with the Indians stems from attacking hitters.
“He’s a horse out there,” Gomes said. “He pitches. He’s really aggressive. Gets ahead of guys. You can see some of the swings that guys are taking. He’s not afraid to sometimes just try to pound the strike zone and see what happens.”
Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway has been particularly impressed by Anderson’s changeup, usually the last pitch a young pitcher is able to master.
“There’s deception. There’s location,” Callaway said. “That changeup is way above average. It’s really good. He sells it well. He has good depth to it. His command with it, to be able to go in and out, east and west, with it, is something you don’t see very often.”
