Cody Joseph Ross (born December 23, 1980), nicknamed "Toy Cannon" and "Ross the Boss," is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 12 seasons with 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). Ross won a World Series with the San Francisco Giants in 2010. He is one of the few Major League players to bat right-handed and throw left-handed.
Following high school, Ross embarked on his professional career, getting selected by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. He reached the Major Leagues in 2003, but suffered a torn ACL which caused him to miss most of September. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers following spring training in 2004, appearing in a handful of games with them in 2005. In 2006, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Florida Marlins. It was in Florida that he finally established himself, as he played with the Marlins through 2010. He was used mainly as a reserve outfielder in 2006 and 2007, but during the 2008 season he took over a starting role. He would be a starting outfielder for the rest of his Marlins career, playing centerfield or right field. In 2009, he hit a career-high 24 home runs and won the Marlins' Charlie Hough Good Guy award.
During the 2010 season, the Marlins placed Ross on waivers, and he was claimed by the San Francisco Giants. Named their starting right fielder for the 2010 playoffs, he went on to win the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award, hitting five home runs in the postseason while helping the Giants win the 2010 World Series over the Texas Rangers. He re-signed with San Francisco in 2011, batting .240 during the year. In 2012, he signed a one-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, hitting 22 home runs while playing every day despite the fact that the Red Sox originally expected him to be a reserve player for them. The Arizona Diamondbacks signed him to a three-year contract in December 2012, but a season-ending hip injury limited Ross to 94 games during his first year with the team.
Early life
Ross was born in Portales, New Mexico. Ross's father was a chiropractor and professional bull rider; and as a youth, Ross wanted to become a rodeo clown. He used to attend his father's bull-riding matches in clown outfits, complete with makeup. He did not give up on the aspiration until his family moved to Dallas, Texas. The Ross family eventually moved back to New Mexico, and Ross played high school baseball at Carlsbad High School. Ross also played football until ninth grade. During high school, he was a Baseball America All-American selection. As a senior, he threw a five-inning perfect game. He graduated in 1999.
Professional career
Draft and minor leagues
Ross was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. He began his minor league career that year with the rookie Gulf Coast League Tigers, batting .218 with 31 hits, eight doubles, three triples, four home runs, and 18 runs batted in (RBI) in 42 games. In 2000, he played for the A West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League, getting named the Midwest League Player of the Week from June 18–24 after he scored four runs, had two doubles and a triple, drove in six runs, and batted .636. In 122 games, he batted .267 with 116 hits, 17 doubles, nine triples, seven home runs, 68 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. His nine triples were tied for second in the league. After the season, Baseball America said he had the best outfield arm in the Detroit system.
Ross played for the A-advanced Lakeland Tigers of the Florida State League in 2001. He was the league's player of the week from June 18–24 after stealing four bases and batting .516 with 11 runs scored, three doubles, two home runs, and five RBI. Then, he was named Player of the Week from August 13 to 19 after batting .385. In 127 games (10th in the league), Ross batted .276 with 84 runs scored (fifth), 133 hits (eighth), 34 doubles (second to Matt Padgett's 37), five triples (tied with eight other players for seventh), 15 home runs (tied with Jason Jones for eighth), 80 RBI (seventh), and 28 stolen bases (tied with Josh McKinley for eighth). After the season, Baseball America ranked him the ninth best Tigers' prospect and again said he had the best outfield arm in the organization.