They brought Cody on for the storyline about his being Mac's son -- but when John J. York had to take medical time off, they didn't know what to do with Cody.
After a few years of being on the periphery and not really landing anywhere because they had no idea what to do with the character ... it is too late to start now.
It's not the actor's fault, he's done the best he can with inconsistent scenes. I enjoyed his relationship with Maxie's son and with Tracy (everyone is interesting with Tracy) and he is starting to be more likeable. However, I don't see a path to his being anything other than a secondary character.
Karen L.