Corniell landed the fifth-largest bonus given to a right-hander in the 2019-20 international class, signing for $630,000 with the Mariners out of the Dominican Republic. Traded to the Rangers along with infield prospect Andres Mesa in exchange for Rafael Montero in December 2020, he compiled a 6.02 ERA in his first two pro seasons before winning Texas' Minor League pitcher of the year award in 2023. Some evaluators thought he was the best starting pitching prospect in the system before his elbow gave out in 2024, requiring Tommy John surgery in July that sidelined him for all of last season and will cost him much of this one.
Corniell throws three different versions of a fastball: a 92-95 mph four-seamer that reaches 97 with armside run and carry, a low-90s two-seamer that sinks and induces grounders and an upper-80s cutter he picked up in 2023 to use against left-handed hitters. His best offering is a sweeping 82-85 mph slider with two-plane depth at its best. He had made progress with a low-80s changeup that tumbles.
Employing a drop-and-drive delivery, Corniell creates extension and a flat approach angle that add deception to his pitches. He has a strong 6-foot-3 frame and a quick arm, though some scouts think his arm action is more conducive to relieving than starting. When he returns to full health, his priority will be refining his cutter and changeup so he can hold lefties in check.
Corniell signed out of the Dominican Republic with the Mariners for $630,000, the fifth-largest bonus given to a right-handed pitcher during the 2019-20 international signing period. The Rangers acquired him and infield prospect Andres Mesa in exchange for Rafael Montero in December 2020, and Corniell didn't make his pandemic-delayed pro debut until six months later. After a rough introduction to full-season ball in 2022, he improved his arsenal and control, breezed through two Class A levels last summer at age 20 and earned organization Minor League Pitcher of the Year accolades. He missed the start of the 2024 season with an elbow injury and was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in June that will require surgery that will sideline him into 2025.
Corniell throws three different fastballs: a four-seamer that sits at 92-95 mph and touches 97 with armside run and carry, a low-90s two-seamer to get ground balls and an upper-80s cutter he added in 2023 to combat left-handers. His best pitch is an 82-85 mph slider with two-plane depth that earns plus grades at its best. He's also making progress with a low-80s changeup that tumbles when it's on.
With a drop-and-drive delivery, Corniell creates extension and a flat approach angle. Some scouts think he has more of a reliever arm action, though he does have plenty of arm speed and a strong 6-foot-3 frame that should lend itself to durability. If he can regain his stuff once healthy and continue to refine his cutter and changeup to improve his success against lefties, he could be a No. 4 starter.
The Mariners signed Corniell out of the Dominican Republic for $630,000, the fifth-largest bonus given to a right-handed pitcher during the 2019-20 international signing period. Seattle traded him along with infield prospect Andres Mesa to the Rangers for Rafael Montero in December 2020, with the pandemic delaying Corniell's pro debut until June 2021. After getting knocked around in his full-season debut in 2022, he has improved his pitch mix and control this year.
Corniell employs three versions of a fastball, highlighted by a four-seamer that ranges from 92-97 mph at its best with arm-side run and carry. He also uses a low-90s two-seamer to get groundballs and has added an upper-80s cutter this season. His best secondary pitch is an 82-85 mph slider with two-plane depth that helps him dominate right-handed hitters.
Corniell has had much less success against left-handers and needs to refine a low-80s changeup that flashes some promising tumble. He's providing more consistent strikes in 2023, though some scouts believe his arm action will land him in the bullpen. His ability to use his cutter and changeup to combat lefties will go a long way toward determining his future role.
The Mariners inked Corniell in July 2019 for $630,000, the fifth-highest bonus given to a right-handed pitcher during the 2019-20 international signing period. The coronavirus pandemic wiped out his opportunity to make his pro debut in 2020, when his development was limited to instructional league. He never appeared in a game for Seattle before changing organizations, going to Texas with a player to be named last December in exchange for Rafael Montero.
Corniell already works in the low 90s with his fastball, which features sink that elicits weak groundball contact. His best secondary pitch is a low-80s changeup that also sinks. His low-70s curveball lags behind his other two offerings and will need more power and depth to be effective.
Corniell's stuff and projectable 6-foot-3 build resemble those of Luis Severino at the same stage of their careers. He has advanced feel for pitching, as evidenced by his aptitude for throwing a changeup and filling the strike zone. It’s unclear exactly what the Rangers have in a pitcher so young and inexperienced, but they're looking forward to finding out.
2020
One of five international free agents who got a bonus of $400,000 or more from the Mariners during the 2019-20 international amateur signing period, Corniell was the lone pitcher of that group. The right-hander’s $630,000 bonus was the second-highest for the organization and the fifth-highest among all pitchers on the amateur market. The Rangers acquired him in December along with a player to be named in exchange for Rafael Montero.
If it all clicks for the young right-hander, Corniell will have three usable pitches at his disposal, and he already has more of a feel for pitching than many arms his age. His fastball can touch the mid-90s with good, late life to it. He has some feel to spin a breaking ball, a power curve that some could see morphing into a slider in the future. He throws a solid changeup, which might be better than the breaking ball currently. He throws all three pitches for strikes, filling up the zone in a way that belies his years.
The 6-foot-3 barrel-chested hurler has worked to firm up his frame, attending the Mariners’ High Performance Camp in the Dominican since he signed. That should help his stuff tick upwards. He hasn’t been stretched out yet as a starter, pitching in shorter relief stints, but look for him to get a chance to develop into a rotation piece as he begins his pro career in 2020.
How this works:
This section shows two different ways to evaluate pitch movement.
On the left, “Total Movement” shows the real-world movement of a pitch, including the forces of gravity, which affects every pitch thrown.
Since gravity requires time, and slower pitches aren't 'better' just because they have more time to move, a pitch's movement is compared to other pitches of the same pitch type, within +/- 2 MPH and +/- 0.5 feet of extension/release.
On the right, Induced Movement (or IVB) is reported without gravity, and attempts to isolate movement created by the pitcher's ability to spin and manipulate the ball.
These run values are leveraged, meaning the base/out situation at the time of the event does impact the run value (thus introducing context outside the batter's own contribution).
Note: xHR tells how many of this pitcher's batted balls allowed would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
Standard
Year
Team
Avg HR Trot
Actual HR
xHR
HR-xHR
Doubters
Mostly Gone
No Doubters
No Doubter %
2025
27.59
1
0.1
1
1
0
0
0.0
Player
27.59
1
0.1
1
1
0
0
0.0
Note: xHR tells how many of this pitcher's batted balls allowed would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
Note: xHR tells how many of this pitcher's batted balls allowed would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
Standard
Year
HR
2025
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Player
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Note: xHR tells how many of this pitcher's batted balls allowed would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift:
three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of
their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about
how positioning is defined here
