• Full name Steven F. Rodríguez
  • Born 04/16/1991 in Miami Beach, FL
  • Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: L
  • School Florida
  • Debut 09/09/2012
  • Drafted in the 2nd round (82nd overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 (signed for $610,800).
    View Draft Report
    Frequently referred to by his nickname Paco, Rodriguez has evolved from a left-on-left specialist as a freshman for the Gators into a flexible weapon out of the team's bullpen. He has a funky delivery, most notable when he comes set in the stretch: He nearly stops once, then comes set a second times. Scouts who block out the calls of "Balk!" from opposing fans see Rodriguez execute his pitches well, starting with a hard, upper-80s cut fastball that gets in on righthanded hitters. He has enough fastball to keep hitters honest, throwing 91-92 mph and pounding the strike zone. He adds a sweepy but effective slider that at times has depth. Always efficient, Rodriguez has been much better in 2012, putting hitters away more consistently. His 12.23 strikeouts per nine innings ranked fourth in the nation, and he had a 6-1 K-BB ratio in a career-high 53 innings. Deception is built in to Rodriguez's approach, with an arm action that helps him hide the ball in the back before it comes out of a three-quarters slot. He's a safe pick who at least should be a lefty specialist but has shown the durability and dominance to be more than that.

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