Player Profile: Cody Wheeler

College baseball is here and many sports analysts make their predictions on not only what team will make a run for the College World Series in Omaha, NE, but the players who will end their college career and go pro. Coastal Carolina University has several players that are worth mentioning but none other than gem Cody Wheeler. A kid from the small town of Spotsylvania, VA, Cody came into the baseball world like the picture in a magic eye puzzle: out of nowhere and impossible to ignore.

As I sat with Cody in his living room, while the rest of the team was gone for an away game at Wake Forest, he was switching between watching the Olympic hockey game on television and the Coastal Carolina baseball game on his computer. We went on a little about classes and what I missed in our advanced public speaking class on Monday. We also talked about the baseball games the previous weekend. He was wearing a long sleeved red knit shirt and blue jeans. As I looked up to start the interview he casually did as most baseball players and inserted a healthy amount of tobacco into his mouth, and asked if I was ready.

Some people are born with the skill and ability that is necessary for a player to be a superstar at the professional level. Most of them had parents or family that was of that caliber, others were told from an early age that they were special. For Cody this was not the case. Cody said, “I guess it wasn’t until about my junior year in high school that I knew baseball was going to be this important to me in life.”

Cody oddly enough didn’t even make the varsity team his freshmen year of high school. After a year of hard work, Cody tried out for the varsity team again as a sophomore and made it. It was his chance to make an impact that would hopefully lead to a successful baseball career.

“The Atlanta Braves came to one game and then saw me throw one bullpen and I never heard from them again…I had offers from Virginia Tech, Florida International University, and Coastal Carolina University…I signed early with Coastal. It was my first official visit and I really liked the coaching staff, I thought they were really down to earth, blue collar guys.”

With Cody Wheeler being a partial starter in the middle of his freshmen year in college, expectations were high. He did so well that by the current year he was named as one of the top 100 players in the nation as only a junior. With such attention in the media one must only think to the draft in June, and where Mr. Wheeler will go to start his professional career. Wheeler said, “I’m looking forward to the draft; obviously the better we do as a team now the higher I’ll go in the draft. There is a line I’ll have to draw…all I can do is have a good year and the rest of it will all take care of itself.” With so much riding on how the team does for his future you would think Cody would be nervous. Fellow pitcher Jim Birmingham said, “With his ability he has a great chance of being drafted this year, being successful in the minor leagues and maybe making it to the majors. He’s a hard worker and a guy you can trust when he’s on the mound. You always feel like you have a great chance of winning when he’s pitching.”

Looking at the rest of the Chanticleer players in the field some experts would argue that the left handed pitcher has nothing to worry about. Being in practice with him, I was able to watch him during batting practice. The kid seemed as free spirited as any other running around in the field trying to make plays on fly balls and grounders up the middle. Rare behavior for the number one pitcher at a baseball powerhouse, but I could tell he was having fun. Which I guess is part of the game, right? I mean it is a game. People play baseball to have fun and interact with their friends; whether you’re an ace pitcher or the back up for right field, it’s part of a game. One piece fits into another until the puzzle is complete. Tommy Baldridge, a right fielder for Coastal who was drafted by The New York Yankees once told me, “Baseball is the only sport you can fail at and be considered a great player.” When you first hear this you might laugh but then after thinking about it you realize, if a hitter is batting .400 of the night they are doing a great job. If a pitcher gives up lots of hits but allows no runs they are doing great.

“The team makes me better. It helps when I can go out there and I can trust that the guys behind me will make the plays…Not every batter has to be a strike out and as long as I can keep it in the park the guys in the field can usually make the play that is needed.” said Cody. With such a good defense behind any pitcher they would obviously emit a sense of calm, collectiveness, and confidence. When the bats are working for a team and the defense is stopping runs, it is a recipe for the College World Series in Omaha, NE.

“This team has the skill and ability to make it to Omaha and contend. Out of all the teams I have been a part of this one is it…We are missing some of the chemistry from past years but I think it will work its way out over time.” When I asked Cody what he needed to do to not only make him standout in the mix of pitchers, but get this team to Omaha, he responded plain and simple, “I need to have quality starts, I need to not walk many people, not let many people on base, and if they get on I can’t let them score. I also need to go six innings you know?”

When I asked him about his character as a leader and will he be able to lead this team to victory week in and week out, humbly, he looked up and smiled, “Bowman just hit a bomb to right center. We’re up 2-0. What did you say?” After I repeated the question and he gloated in the glory of us going up two on Wake Forest he responded,

“I’m not going to get in anyone’s face and tell them what they need to do or what to fix, I lead by example. I have confidence in myself, some days you’re going to have your best stuff and nobody can hit you. Other times you’re not going to have it and believe me it happens, your fastball doesn’t have the zip, or your change up isn’t moving for you. You’re going to be out there and your going to have to grind out every at bat. I know that I’ll be able to get through it and my team will back me up. I have matured a lot to the point where the little things don’t get to me as much” One of the more vocal leaders on the team is centerfielder, Rico Noel, “He’s definitely a key piece of our team and is probably the biggest piece of our pitching staff.” Rico is a junior also looking at joining Wheeler in the draft with the help of a strong season this year.

Cody Wheeler is just a normal college kid. He likes Olympic hockey, has a few beers from time to time, and plays sports. The only difference is that Cody Wheeler lives for baseball; he has a talent for a sport that not many people will ever be able to grasp in a single lifetime. This season might not only be his biggest season individually but the biggest season for The Chanticleers baseball team. With the leadership and skill of Cody Wheeler, the Chants will attempt to stay strong and make a run for the biggest baseball game of any college players’ dreams, Omaha!

Name: Cody Wheeler
Class: Junior
Hometown: Spotsylvania, Va.
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 170
Position: OF / P
Bats / Throws: L / L

– Courtesy of Justin “Puma” Stolarski — jlstolar@coastal.edu