Mitch Cook

Mitchell Martin Cook

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 192 lb.
• High School New Hanover High School

• Born February 13, 1963 in Wilmington, NC USA
• Died October 13, 2013 in Wilmington, NC USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Mitch Cook pitched four seasons in AA but advanced no further. He once won 16 games in a season, the only time he reached double-digit victories.

Cook was picked by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 1981 amateur draft, the 54th overall selection (between Phil Bradley and John Marzano). Cook debuted as a pro with the GCL Cubs, going 5-5 with a save, a 2.50 ERA and just a .89 WHIP (35 H, 13 BB in 54 IP). He was one of four Cooks pitching in the Gulf Coast League that year, one of whom (Glen Cook) would go on to the majors. In 1982, Mitch had a 5-6, 4.11 record for the Geneva Cubs, walking 47 in 92 innings. He was 5-5 with a 3.34 ERA for the 1983 Quad Cities Cubs. He was then traded with Jim Adamczak to the New York Mets for Terry Leach.

In his one season in the Mets chain, the right-hander was very good for the Lynchburg Mets at 16-4, 2.97 and 178 strikeouts in 184 2/3 innings. He led the Carolina League in whiffs (7 ahead of teammate Randy Myers), was third in ERA (behind Myers and another teammate, Kurt Lundgren and .32 ahead of #4 Steve Ellsworth), led in innings, led in hits allowed (174) and led in wins (3 ahead of runner-ups Myers and Ellsworth). He was named the league's All-Star right-handed pitcher and helped Lynchburg to the title (Lynchburg had over half the All-Star team with C Barry Lyons, 1B Dave Magadan, OF Jason Felice, OF Stan Jefferson, RHP Cook and LHP Myers). He did not take home Pitcher of the Year honors, which went to Myers.

Cook was then part of another deal, one that would pay off big-time for New York, as they shipped him with Manny Lee and Gerald Young to the Houston Astros for Ray Knight. He then the next three years battling injuries with the Columbus Astros. He was 2-1 with a 5.20 ERA in 1985, 9-9 with a 5.28 in 1986 and 4-1 with a 3.56 ERA in 1987. In 1988, he returned to the Mets chain and had a 1-2, 3.93 record for the Jackson Senators.

Overall, Mitch was 47-33 with a 3.74 ERA in 104 minor league games (99 starts) while hitting .208/.269/.250.

Sources

• 1982-1985 Baseball Guides