Cuban pitcher will be the ace of the Miami Dade College rotation and will seek to impress MLB scouts

Andy Rodríguez is on the right track. If he was first part of the Miami-Dade College team as a step prior to his foray into the University Draft, now the Cuban pitcher was designated as the club’s rotation ace for the opening game of the season at that level of baseball.

After a preseason game against St. Thomas University in which he pitched four one-hit innings, allowing one run without ruling out walks and with seven strikeouts, Rodríguez was confirmed to work this January 28 at the Terry Park grounds in the city. from Fort Myers against the Manatee-Sarasota squad.

“I think this says that a Cuban player does not necessarily have to seek free agency as the only way to reach the Major Leagues,” said Carlos Pérez, who represents Rodríguez. “Now we just hope he has a great season with Miami-Dade and shows what he can do on the mound.”

Rodríguez was part of the group that decided to take another course at the end of the Americas Pre-Olympic held in South Florida in the summer of 2021 and from which figures such as César Prieto, currently signed by the Baltimore Orioles, and the veteran Lázaro Blanco, who is preparing to pitch in other professional leagues.

The Havana native had to travel to Japan at the end of the Olympic Qualifying held in West Palm Beach and Port St Lucie, but he chose to remain in Miami with his father and other relatives with the hope of continuing his career, despite the fact that his Softbank team he claimed him in Japanese lands.

Rodríguez had signed a pact with the Softbank Halcones in January and at that time he commented that “it is a very important step that I take in my life. I think I’m going to take it with a lot of responsibility and I’m willing to do a very good job.”

Pitcher for Industriales and the Cuban national team, Rodríguez asked for political asylum when he settled in Miami and joined the Miami Dade College team for the season that will begin this Friday, guided by Pérez, from the RI Total Sports company.

In the last National Series, Rodríguez worked 48 innings with a record of 5-5 with 12 saves, in addition to showing an ERA of 2.25 and striking out 59 batters. In Japan he won a game and did not lose. He only faced 18 batters and struck out four, while the Preoímpico de Las Américas acted in two complete innings.

With just a couple of preseason starts in college baseball and his international experience, Andy Rodríguez is already attracting the attention of several scouts and is expected to be selected in the next Major League amateur draft.