Florida RHP Christian Rodriguez ends strong summer as Harwich Mariners top pitcher
Named after the team's beloved PA announcer from 1971–1993, the Graeber Award recognizes the Mariners' top pitcher each season.
"The Mariners' de facto closer, C-Rod, was lights out from the bullpen," a press release announcing the team awards reads. "His 26 strikeouts led the team and (ranked) third in the league among pitchers with zero starts. He ended the summer with a 0.93 ERA in 19.1 innings, rising to the occasion whenever the team needed him most. He also led the team with three saves."
"My time here with Harwich has been unbelievable," Rodriguez told Gators Wire. "I've met so many great players and coaches and have played against a lot of talented guys. It has been one of the best summers in my life, and I'm super grateful and honored to play in this league."
Rodriguez is an early candidate to replace Jake Clemente as Florida's closer. He emerged as one of the more reliable bullpen arms in Gainesville this season, throwing 23 2/3 innings over 22 appearances. A 5.32 ERA and 6.29 FIP leave something to be desired, but Rodriguez was coming back from Tommy John surgery as a true freshman.
Now completely healthy and more than a year removed from the injury, Rodriguez is looking like the pitcher Florida signed out of high school.
Rodriguez was the heart of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas 2023 state championship team, following in the footsteps of Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony and former Florida Gators Chris Arroyo and Jake Clemente. He hit .359/.474/.692 with six home runs as a senior. On the mound, Rodriguez was among the nation's best with a 0.69 ERA and 0.50 WHIP over 70 2/3 innings. He struck out 117 while walking just 65.
Rodriguez ran his fastball up to 97 mph out of high school, but his changeup has always been the kind of secondary pitch that elite closers utilize. Often referred to as a "Bugs Bunny" changeup because of its pull-the-string movement down in the zone and 15 mph difference from the fastball, Rodriguez has already shown flashes of dominance against SEC bats with it.
His 50% flyball rate feels a bit high for a pitcher who relies on a changeup so often, but a 28.7% strikeout rate is strong.
Rodriguez enters the fall as one of the veterans of Florida's pitching staff. Luke McNeillie and Billy Barlow have more innings under their belt, and Caden McDonald is in a similar position. Expect to hear those four names out of the bullpen quite often.
"What I'm looking forward to the most about going back to Florida is just getting there and grinding again," he said. "I think we have a great team with some new guys coming that I'm extremely excited for, and hopefully we make a run this year."
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
41 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
With Roman Anthony, this time the Red Sox got it done the right way
'The kind of player others gravitate to,' teammate Rob Refsnyder said. Remind you of anybody? Mookie Betts was 21 when he was called up on June 29, 2014. By September he was playing like a franchise cornerstone. But instead of making Betts a partner in their success, the Red Sox fought him for every dime. They renewed his contract before the 2017 season then took Betts to arbitration before the 2018 season. Advertisement It culminated in a 2020 trade to the Dodgers that will be remembered as one of the worst in baseball history. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'In the past, when we haven't signed homegrown players, it's hurt,' team president Sam Kennedy said. Sox ownership also has answered the question of what they would do with the $254 million saved when Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants in June. Anthony could make up to $230 million depending on how many All-Star appearances he makes and how he fares in the voting for Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player. 'We felt like what was best for the organization at the time was to trade Raffy,' chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said. 'And [Wednesday] we thought that what was best for the organization is to come to an agreement to keep Roman in a Red Sox uniform for a really long time.' Advertisement Devers never caught onto the idea that a landmark contract brings with it responsibilities that go beyond the field. The Sox have gotten to know Anthony well enough for that not to be a concern. 'He's a great hitter and a great person. He wants to win,' manager Alex Cora said. Anthony joins Garrett Crochet and Kristian Campbell as players who have agreed to extensions this year. Crochet's six-year, $170 million deal looks like a bargain. The lefthander is 13-4 with a 2.24 ERA and leads baseball with 148⅓ innings. Crochet beat the Royals on Tuesday night and had a sellout crowd hanging on his every pitch. But Campbell is a cautionary tale. The 23-year-old signed for eight years and $60 million in the first week of the season and had a .935 OPS through 28 games. He then hit .154 with a .451 OPS over the next 39 games and was demoted to Triple A on June 20. Campbell hasn't been back since and the Sox are trying him as a first baseman There's every chance that Campbell will be a productive player. But for now he's proof that an extension does not come with a guarantee for success. Along with Crochet and Campbell, the Sox also have Brayan Bello, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Garrett Whitlock under control through at least 2029. That was part of the lure for Anthony. 'There's a lot to be excited about and I'm excited,' he said. 'This process was a big reason as to why I wanted to stay here and be with those guys and grow with those guys.' Advertisement The Sox did well to build a relationship with Anthony and gain his trust. Breslow credited assistant GM Paul Toboni with doing 'a ton of work' to get the extension over the finish line. Toboni was director of amateur scouting in 2022 when Anthony was drafted and got to know not just the player but his family. Over the long term that matters. The Sox are unlikely to bat 1.000 with extensions. Wilyer Abreu, Alex Bregman, Marcelo Mayer, and Carlos Narváez are all good candidates for a deal but their expectations may not align with what the Sox are thinking. Scott Boras, who represents Bregman, believes players can only find their true worth as free agents. But he also did the deals when Jose Altuve and Matt Chapman agreed to extensions. Jarren Duran is an interesting case. He turns 29 in September and can't become a free agent until after the 2028 season. He's also a player whose game is built around speed. Projecting what kind of player Duran will be when he's 32 or 33 is difficult. It's a process, as Breslow said. The process worked with Anthony and the Dodgers will have to look elsewhere. Peter Abraham can be reached at
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Edwards gets 4 hits, Pauley and Hernández hit solo HRs, Marlins beat Astros 6-4
MIAMI (AP) — Xavier Edwards went 4 for 5 with a double, Graham Pauley and Heriberto Hernández each hit a solo homer and the Miami Marlins beat Houston 6-4 on Wednesday to snap a seven-game losing streak against the Astros. Janson Junk (6-2) allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in five innings. The Marlins are 8-2 in Junk's 10 starts since joining the rotation June 20. Lake Bachar pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save. Liam Hicks, Otto Lopez and Hernández each hit an RBI single off Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti (1-2) in the first to make it 3-2, and the Marlins led the rest of the way. Edwards doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Agustín Ramírez in the second. Hernandez's homer in the third made it 5-2. Christian Walker hit a two-run homer in the first inning for Houston. Mauricio Dubón doubled and scored when Carlos Correa followed with another double in the fifth. Victor Caratini added an RBI double in the sixth. Pauley hit a solo shot to make it 6-3 in the fifth. Key moment Pinch-hitter Jeremy Peña singled to load the bases with one out in the Houston eighth, but Calvin Faucher got Cam Smith to ground into a forceout at home and Dubón to pop out to end the threat and preserve Miami's 6-4 lead. Key stat Since June 13, the Marlins (56-57) are 31-16 and have gone 11-3-1 in series play. Up next Astros RHP Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.47 ERA) starts Friday night at Yankee Stadium against rookie Cam Schlittler (1-2, 4.58). Marlins RHP Eury Pérez (4-3, 2.70 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Thursday against Atlanta. The Braves hadn't announced a starter yet. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
🎥 Orlando's Muriel having a Leagues Cup night to remember vs Necaxa
Orlando City ace Luis Muriel is having a career night in Leagues Cup action against Mexican giants Necaxa as the Lions enjoyed a gargantuan 4-0 lead at 34-year-old Colombian striker continues to adapt to life at Inter&Co Stadium under Óscar Pareja, and has put in an incredible 45-minute shift thus far as the Lions look to reach the next round of the competition. Already a goal up thanks to a stunning strike from Martín Ojeda, Muriel has gone on to steal the show, smashing a ten-minute hat-trick to all but guarantee the result with plenty of time to spare. First, the former Atalanta cult hero grabbed a quick-fire brace of headers in the 35th and 37th minutes to extend Orlando's lead to a three-spot. Then, with the match already likely done and dusted, he popped up in the box to dispatch a pinpoint curled effort into the far corner beyond Necaxa shot-stopper Ezequiel Unsain to complete his goalscoring heroics on the night before Ojeda bagged a brace of his own to make it 5-0 after the half-time interval. With Orlando locked in a tight race in the middle of the Eastern Conference and pushing for a post-season spot in the 2025 MLS Cup, Muriel could be heating up at just the right time. 📸 Editorial Photo Credit: © Kim Klement Neitzel | 2025 Aug 6 - Imagn Images
