Santos Rodriguez
| IP | 302 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.053 |
| WHIP | 1.437 |
| BB/9 | 5.632 |
| SO/9 | 10.252 |
- Full name Santos Angel Rodriguez
- Born 01/02/1988 in Sanchez, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: L
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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A high-ceiling arm acquired from the Braves in a package that also included Tyler Flowers, Brent Lillibridge and third-base prospect Jon Gilmore for Javier Vazquez in December 2008, Rodriguez has progressed slowly. The White Sox have remained patient and protected him on their 40-man roster in November because he has a live arm and has made strides smoothing out a maximum-effort delivery and improving his command. Rodriguez throws harder than most lefthanders, working at 91-95 mph and peaking at 98. He did a better job of not overthrowing and not pitching to the radar gun in 2012, though he still doesn't locate his pitches with anything close to precision. His breaking ball has evolved from a slurve into more of a true slider with depth, and it's a swing-and-miss pitch when his delivery is working. He also can mix in a changeup. Confidence has been an issue in Rodriguez's development, and his improved when he fared well in his first exposure to Double-A. He could win a big league job in the spring, but he'd benefit from extended time in Triple-A. -
Rodriguez profiles as a classic late bloomer--assuming he can develop the durability that has failed him thus far. Acquired along with Brent Lillibridge, Tyler Flowers and third-base prospect Jon Gilmore from the Braves in the Javier Vazquez trade after the 2008 season, Rodriguez has one of the best arms in the system but never has pitched more than 40 innings in a season. He didn't pitch after July 22 last year, as the White Sox cautiously shut him down with nagging arm problems that weren't major and didn't require surgery. Rodriguez had his usual impact when he pitched out of the Winston-Salem bullpen, striking out 13.2 batters per nine innings and completing his third straight season without allowing a home run. His fastball has tremendous velocity, running from 93-98 mph, but he gets it from a max-effort delivery that leaves him with little command. He struggles with the consistency of his secondary pitches, though he has made strides with his changeup and throws it with good arm speed. His slurvy breaking ball is a potential average pitch. If he can tone down his wild arm action and improve his command, Rodriguez could pitch in the back of a major league bullpen primarily on his fastball alone. Chicago expects him at full strength in spring training and may send him to Double-A this year. -
At 22, Rodriguez is old for a Latin American prospect who hasn't established himself in full-season ball, but his velocity is eye-popping. Along with catcher Tyler Flowers and infielders Brent Lillibridge and Jon Gilmore, the White Sox acquired him from the Braves in the Javier Vazquez trade after the 2008 season. Chicago hoped to start Rodriguez at Kannapolis last season, but he wasn't deemed ready to face low Class A hitters until September. He's a hard thrower with an impressive frame, and only now is he starting to put polish on his skills. At times last year, his fastball sat at 95 mph and spiked to 97, thanks to what one scout called "just ridiculous arm strength.'' Hitters hate facing him, and he hasn't given up a home run since 2007. Rodriguez slowly is learning to use three pitches, making major strides with his changeup last season and sharpening a slider that looks more like a slurve most of the time. His delivery is raw and inconsistent, and he also needs work on his fielding. The White Sox view Rodriguez as a reliever, and he could move fast if he gets his delivery locked in. At the very least he's a commodity that general Ken Williams can deal, as his fastball is the kind that intrigues almost any organization. -
The most anonymous of the four prospects the White Sox acquired when they shipped Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan to the Braves in December, Rodriguez shouldn't stay that way for long. He's an ultra-projectable lefthander who already tops out at 97 mph with his fastball, and he led Rookie-level Gulf Coast League relievers in opponent batting average (.155) and strikeouts per nine innings (14.0) last season. The ball appears to jump out of his hand, producing a fastball that sits at 91-93 mph with above-average sinking action. He also has the makings of a plus pitch with a flat slider that has some late bite. His changeup has a ways to go and will be a point of emphasis when Chicago makes him a starter in 2009. Though not overly athletic, Rodriguez is capable of putting his delivery together and is hard to hit when everything falls into place. He does struggle on occasion to repeat his delivery and to throw strikes, which isn't uncommon for a pitcher who's so tall and so young. After spending the last two years in the GCL, he should be ready for a jump to low Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The White Sox acquired Rodriguez along with Tyler Flowers, Jon Gilmore and Brent Lillibridge in a trade for Javier Vazquez in December 2008. Rodriguez was the least advanced of the four players at the time, but he could turn out to be the best in the long run. Rodriguez missed time with a disabled-list stint in July but still can be unhittable at times and has averaged 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings since the deal. He throws a 93-98 mph fastball, though he generates velocity with a maximum-effort delivery that compromises his control. His best secondary pitch is a changeup that he throws with good arm speed, and at times it's a plus pitch. His slurvy breaking ball is still a work in progress. -
The White Sox acquired Rodriguez and three other prospects when they traded Javier Vazquez to the Braves in December 2008. Though Chicago intended to try Rodriguez in the rotation, they instead assigned the 21-year-old to Bristol and kept him in a relief role, marking the third straight season in which he worked in a Rookie ball bullpen. He worked four scoreless innings with eight strikeouts at low Class A Kannapolis after the Appy season ended. Rodriguez features a plus-plus fastball during most outings, topping out at 97 mph and sitting at 95 with late movement. The pitch features incredible plane by virtue of his 6-foot-5 height, and Appy Leaguers struggled to lift the pitch, going homerless during his 27 innings. He throws a changeup with above-average arm speed that neutralizes righthanders. Despite his arm strength, Rodriguez still walks too many batters to rank as a surefire relief prospect, though his control improved as the season progressed. He also doesn't have a usable breaking ball at this point, as his slider doesn't consistently show enough tilt to be graded even as fringe-average.
