Jefry Rodriguez: SP – Nationals #13 Prospect
A name that’s already familiar with those watching the Washington Nationals this year. Jefry Rodriguez could be a potentially appealing name for rebuilding teams.
As of right now, it’s clear that he’s not quite major league ready. He possesses a 6.86 ERA on the year, with a worrisome 12 walks compared to just 17 strikeouts.
He has at least flashed his raw stuff, with a plus fastball and plus curveball. However, he still needs to work on his changeup before he can become a major league starter.
A lot of teams would certainly welcome a player with a few kinks to work out at the top level. Remember, a lot of the teams the Nats would deal with are already out of contention, therefore can persist with Rodriguez in the majors.
The other reason a team could easily value Rodriguez highly is for the exact reason we mentioned earlier. He has two plus major league pitches.
Having these would give him the floor of a potentially electric bullpen arm. Other failed starters such as Brad Hand and Brandon Morrow have gone on to be dominant relievers in baseball.
Currently, his fastball sits in the mid-90s, so he could get that up to 99 as a reliever. The curveball is devastating and would be a good out pitch should he need it.
Someone like the Pittsburgh Pirates would love a pitcher like Rodriguez. They took a chance on Felipe Vazquez in a similar situation as a reliever who needed seasoning, and it paid off. So there’s plenty of appeal in someone like Jefry Rodriguez.