Kody Funderburk Bio
Kody Funderburk is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). The left-hander came up through the Twins’ farm system after being selected in the 2018 MLB Draft and made his major league debut during the 2023 season. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Funderburk has built his career as a relief pitcher, working out of the bullpen at multiple minor league levels before reaching the Twins.
Since debuting, Funderburk has bounced between Minnesota and Triple-A St. Paul, logging appearances in the majors across the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He opened the 2025 season back in the minors, continuing his development within the Twins organization.
Early Life and Background
Kody Funderburk was born on November 27, 1996, in the United States. He grew up in Arizona, where he attended Queen Creek High School in Queen Creek. It was during his high school years that Funderburk first drew attention as a pitching prospect, showing the kind of arm strength and competitiveness that would eventually lead to a professional contract.
After finishing at Queen Creek, Funderburk began his college baseball career at Mesa Community College in Arizona. He later transferred to Dallas Baptist University, a program with a strong track record of developing pitchers. The combination of his time at both schools helped him gain experience against high-level college competition and prepared him for the next step in his career.
Path to Baseball
Funderburk’s path to professional baseball went through the traditional college route. After completing his high school career at Queen Creek, he spent time with Mesa Community College before finishing his amateur career at Dallas Baptist University. His college résumé, combined with his performances on the mound, caught the attention of Major League scouts.
The Minnesota Twins selected Funderburk in the 15th round, with the 454th overall pick, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. Being drafted by a long-established organization gave him a clear path through the minor leagues, beginning in the rookie-level Appalachian League and working his way up the ladder.
Kody Funderburk Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Funderburk made his professional debut in 2018 with the rookie-level Elizabethton Twins, where he posted a 4.93 ERA in 10 games. The short stint gave the Twins a first look at how his stuff translated to professional hitters and allowed Funderburk to begin adjusting to a full pro schedule.
In 2019, Funderburk spent most of the season with the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, with a brief appearance for the High-A Fort Myers Miracle. Across 12 games and 10 starts at Fort Myers, he recorded a 4.68 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched, showing the swing-and-miss ability that would become a hallmark of his profile.
Minor League Development (2021–2022)
Funderburk did not appear in any official games during the canceled 2020 minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned in 2021, splitting the year between Cedar Rapids and the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge. Across 18 games and 10 starts, he went 4-3 with a 2.55 ERA, 82 strikeouts, and 4 saves in 67 innings, demonstrating improved command and a growing role in the bullpen.
He spent the entire 2022 season back at Wichita, where he turned in his strongest full season to that point. Funderburk went 10-5 with a 2.94 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 107 innings, establishing himself as a dependable arm at the Double-A level and putting himself on the radar for a 40-man roster spot.
Triple-A and MLB Debut (2023)
Funderburk began the 2023 season at Double-A Wichita before a quick promotion to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints after just five appearances. With the Saints, he turned in a 2.60 ERA with 75 strikeouts and 5 saves in 52 innings across 37 outings, making a strong case for a major league call-up.
On August 28, 2023, the Twins selected Funderburk to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut the same day, earning his first career win after pitching two perfect innings in relief of Kenta Maeda in a 10-6 home victory over the Cleveland Guardians.
Minnesota Twins Tenure (2023–Present)
After his debut, Funderburk remained in the major league mix heading into 2024. He made the Twins’ Opening Day roster but was optioned multiple times during the season. In 26 appearances with Minnesota, he posted a 5.61 ERA with 31 strikeouts over 33 and two-thirds innings, adjusting to the rigors of facing big-league hitters on a regular basis.
On July 21, 2024, the Twins placed Funderburk on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain, and he was later transferred to the 60-day injured list on September 5. He was activated on September 27, finishing the year back in the majors before being optioned to Triple-A St. Paul to begin the 2025 season.
Notable Events and Milestones
Funderburk’s biggest career milestone came on August 28, 2023, when he made his MLB debut and picked up his first major league win in relief against the Cleveland Guardians. His two perfect innings of relief in that game gave the Twins a glimpse of the strikeout ability he had shown throughout the minors and marked the culmination of a five-year climb through the organization’s system.
Kody Funderburk Career Wins
Funderburk’s first and most prominent major league win came in relief during his MLB debut on August 28, 2023, when he retired every batter he faced against the Cleveland Guardians. He also has a track record of wins from his time in the minor leagues, where he developed into a reliable starting and relief option for Twins affiliates.
Minor League Highlights
Across his minor league career, Funderburk posted a 10-5 record with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge in 2022 and went 4-3 in a 2021 split between Cedar Rapids and Wichita. His 2022 season, in which he struck out 103 batters in 107 innings, stands as one of the strongest full seasons of his development and a key reason the Twins added him to the 40-man roster the following year.
Kody Funderburk Family
Personal Life
Public information about Kody Funderburk’s personal and family life is limited. He grew up in Arizona and attended Queen Creek High School, the same community that helped shape his early baseball career. Beyond that, details about his immediate family, marital status, and residence are not publicly confirmed in available sources.
2025 Season Performance
Kody Funderburk began the 2025 season with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints after being optioned by the Twins. The move was part of a familiar pattern from the previous year, as the Twins continued to use the minors as a developmental holding spot for the left-hander while keeping him available for promotion when needed.
Coming off a 2024 major league campaign in which he posted a 5.61 ERA across 26 appearances before a left oblique injury sidelined him for nearly two months, Funderburk entered 2025 with a clear opportunity to refine his work at the Triple-A level. His minor league track record, including a 2.60 ERA with St. Paul in 2023, suggests the tools are there for a return to the big leagues.
The outlook for Funderburk in 2025 centers on bouncing back from a challenging 2024 season and re-establishing himself as a dependable bullpen option for the Twins. With the Twins’ familiarity with his arsenal and his prior experience at both the Double-A and Triple-A levels, he remains a depth piece within the organization and a candidate to be recalled if the major league bullpen needs reinforcement.