Cody Kukuk

Kukuk spent most of the 2012 season on the restricted list and pitched just 10 innings for the Gulf Coast Red Sox in the rookie league. Still just 19, Kukuk had to deal with a driving under the influence charge, of which he was eventually acquitted. However, the episode cost him a year of development time and raised questions about his judgment. Prior to this setback, Kukuk showed good stuff with a fastball-slider mix, but needs to develop more repeatability with his release point and learn how to locate his fastball to various areas of the strike zone. The upcoming season is about answering the maturity issue that cropped up in 2012 and recapturing the traction from 2011 when the seventh-round pick impressed scouts. Look for Kukuk to remain in Florida when the Red Sox break camp and an eventual placement at Short-Season Lowell or a mid-season placement at Low-A Greenville.

Kukuk is a seventh-round draft pick straight out of high school in Kansas. The 6-4 lefty has a clean and easy delivery, and throws a low-90s heater, a slider with plus potential, and he's working to develop a changeup. 2012 will be all about repeating the timing of his delivery and working to command the fastball. We suspect he'll hang back in extended spring training with a mid-season date in the Short-Season New York-Penn League for Lowell.