Jose Rodriguez (minors50)

José Ramón Rodríguez Menéndez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 194 lb.

• Born August 18, 1992

BR register page

Biographical Information

José Rodríguez has pitched in Cuba and been on the Cuban national team.

He debuted in 2010-2011 as a teenager with Camagüey, allowing five runs (three earned) in 7 2/3 IP but 20 batters reached base. He resurfaced in 2012-2013, going 2-1 with a 5.96 ERA while pitching regularly. Moved to relief in 2013-2014, he went 0-1 with two saves and a 1.74 ERA. He slipped to 0-4, 6.14 with a save in 2014-2015.

Rodríguez was 3-5 with a 2.83 ERA in the rotation to open 2015-2016. When Camagüey did not make the second half, he was picked up by Isla de la Juventud, where he fell to 1-4, 5.65. He was one shy of the league lead for losses. He was 8-7 with a 2.77 ERA for Camagüey in 2016-2017. He tied Yoelkis Cruz and Yosvany Torres for 7th in losses but was 5th in WHIP (between Jonder Martínez and Vladimir García) and 7th in ERA (between the same two). He was part of the Cuban designated pitcher pool for the 2017 World Baseball Classic but was not activated.

He was 1-0 with a 10.97 ERA and 2.81 WHIP in rough time in the 2017 Canadian-American Association. He rebounded to go 4-4 with a 2.45 ERA to open 2017-2018; when Camagüey did not make the second half, he was picked up by the Industriales and had a 3-2, 5.49 record there. His 11 homers allowed tied for second, behind Alejandro Meneses. He did not play in 2018-2019 and worked one shutout inning in 2019-2020 (one presumes he was injured around this time). He made his first postseason appearance, allowing two runs in one inning.

Back in regular work in 2020-2021, he was 5-2 with a 4.81 ERA followed by 11-3, 3.64 with a save in 2021-2022. His 76 whiffs were one behind leader Geonel Gutiérrez and he was one win behind leader Marlon Vega. With the Ganaderos in the Cuban Elite League, he was 2-2 with a 2.91 ERA. He allowed two hits in six innings against the US in the 2022 Haarlem Baseball Week but gave up two runs and took the loss. In the 2022 Caribbean Baseball Cup, he beat the US Virgin Islands and had a no-decision in Cuba's win over defending champion Curacao. He had a 1.59 ERA for the event. His 11 2/3 IP were third after Jordan Lucas and Nelmerson Angela and he tied Alexander Valiente and Pavel Hernández for 6th with 7 K.

The right-hander made Cuba's roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.