Orlando Rodríguez (minors07)

Orlando Lázaro Rodríguez Diéguez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.

• School St. Thomas University, Broward College
• High School Coral Gables High School

• Born December 16, 1995 in Havana Cuba (listed as born in Florida in some sources)

BR register page

Biographical Information

Orlando Rodríguez has pitched in the minors and for the Spanish national team.

He was born in Cuba and moved to Miami when he was 16. He was 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA at St. Thomas in 2017 then 14-1 with a 2.75 ERA and 125 K in 98 1/3 IP in 2018. He was All-The Sun Conference and finished second in NAIA in wins. He was nearly as good (11-2, 2.63, 113 K in 95 2/3 IP) as a senior.

Beginning his pro career with the Schaumburg Boomers, he had a 2.03 ERA in two starts then was signed by the Cincinnati Reds. He had a 0-3, 4.42 record for the Billings Mustangs the rest of the summer, striking out 49 in 36 2/3 IP but throwing 11 wild pitches. He pitched for the Sugar Land Lightning Sloths in the Constellation Energy League, one of the few functional independent league teams in 2020, when most leagues were shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic, but struggled (1-3, 10.38). He began 2021 back with Schaumburg and again impressed (4-1, 2.44) enough to win a contract with a MLB team, this time the Minnesota Twins. He pitched for the FCL Twins (4 R in 1 1/3 IP) and Fort Myers Miracle (1-1, 4.15 in 4 G) the rest of the year.

Rodríguez then pitched for Spain in the 2021 European Championship. He took the hill once, against Croatia. He went 1-2-3 in the first against Kruno Gojković, Jose Herrera (K) and Philip Smith. In the second, he walked Ronnie Krsolovic and Slobodan Gales but retired the other three batters he faced. He walked Hrvoje Tadić to open the third but Gojković flew out and Tadić was caught stealing. Ernesto Pino, Jorge Balboa and Rhiner Cruz followed him with hitless innings as well as Spain no-hit Croatia.

Spending all of 2022 with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, he went 4-1 with a 2.97 ERA in 26 games (6 starts), striking out 75 in 60 2/3 IP and allowing only 46 hits. He pitched once for Spain in the 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, facing Great Britain with the victor locking up a spot in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He relieved Fernando Baez with two outs in the 4th, a 8-5 lead and one on. He retired Matt Koperniak on a grounder to end the inning. In the fifth, he walked [{Nick Ward]] on four pitches and walked Justin Wylie as well. Alex Crosby hit into a force then D'Shawn Knowles singled to make it 8-6. Jaden Rudd grounded the runners over and Rodríguez issued his third walk of the frame, to Kent Blackstone. Daniel Álvarez relieved and escaped without further harm, but Britain would continue their comeback to topple Spain. Spain lost their other chance to lock up a spot in the Classic.