Chris Rodriguez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #15 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Rodriguez had plenty of helium as a Miami-based prep arm in 2016, and the Angels were ecstatic to take him in the fourth round and sign him for an overslot $850,000 bonus. Rodriguez missed all of 2018 and most of 2019 with a stress reaction in his back, but he broke camp with the Angels after a strong spring training in 2021 and pitched in high-leverage relief before going down with shoulder inflammation. He has capsule repair surgery and missed the entire 2022 season.
  
  Scouting Report: Rodriguez has an exceptional four-pitch mix when healthy. His four-seam fastball and sinker both sit 95-96 mph and touch 98-99 with heavy gloveside run that puts batters away. Rodriguez's best secondary is a swing-and-miss, mid-80's curveball with extreme vertical break and his upper-80's, wipeout slider and diving changeup regularly flash above-average. Rodriguez has shown the ability to command all four of his pitches and throw strikes with average control, but his violent herky-jerky delivery puts a lot of stress on his body and has led to injuries and durability issues.
  
  The Future: Still just 24, Rodriguez is young enough to reach his potential but has to stay on the mound. He has a chance to emerge as a high-leverage reliever and should be healthy for the start of spring training in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 50
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #16 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: After missing most of 2018 and 2019 because of back injuries and 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Rodriguez broke camp with the Angels in 2021 and worked his way into high-leverage relief by going 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in his first eight appearances. But shoulder injuries derailed his season, and he underwent capsule repair surgery in October that will sideline him for most, if not all, of 2022.
  
  Scouting Report: Rodriguez would do well to smooth out a delivery that is a little high-effort at times, but he showed last season that he has the stuff to pitch in the big leagues. His four-pitch mix features a sinking fastball that sits 94-96 mph with and late tailing action, a wipeout, 89-90 mph slider that induces plenty of swings and misses, a big overhand curveball in the mid 80s with more than four feet of vertical drop and a 88-90 mph changeup with screwball-like action. Rodriguez throws plenty of strikes with his premium arsenal, but he hasn’t been able to stay on the mound. He has thrown more than 30 innings only once in four seasons, and that was in 2017.
  
  The Future: Rodriguez has the stuff to succeed as a starter or reliever in the majors, but another major injury has clouded his future. He’ll spend the year rehabbing and try to make it back healthy in 2023.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #3 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 55. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Rodriguez has flashed wicked stuff since the Angels drafted him in the fourth round in 2016, but he’s pitched just 77.2 innings in four seasons. He missed the 2018 season with a stress reaction in his lower back and made just three starts in 2019 before having season-ending back surgery to repair a stress fracture. Rodriguez returned in 2020 and earned high praise from big leaguers during summer camp. He threw about 65-70 innings between the alternate training site and instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez has a tantalizing four-pitch mix on par with any pitching prospect. His fastball comfortably sits 94-95 mph and touches 98 with hard sink and tailing life. All three of his secondary pitches flash plus, and he commands them better than his fastball. His slider is a wipeout offering at 87-91 mph, his big overhand curveball in the mid 80s gets batters swinging over the top, and his upper-80s changeup with screwball-like action might be his best pitch. Rodriguez matured physically and gained a better feel for his delivery over the past year. He spent the summer learning how to manipulate his pitches to create different movement.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rodriguez has the ingredients of a front-of-the-rotation starter, but he has to show he can stay healthy. That will be his main goal in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #5 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: After sitting out the entire 2018 season with a stress reaction in his back, Rodriguez came out firing in 2019 with 13 strikeouts over 9.1 scoreless innings at high Class A Inland Empire. But his back flared up again in late April, and he had season-ending surgery to repair the stress fracture once and for all.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez flashed pure stuff in his brief return that rivaled anyone in the California League. He throws a four-seam fastball that averages 94 mph and touches 97 with late movement, and his two-seam fastball operates in the mid-90s with heavy sink and late life in on righthanded hitters. Rodriguez's best secondary pitches are a nasty, plus slider that averages 89 mph and an upper-80s changeup with screwball-like fading action. His big overhand curveball is more of a show-me pitch in the low 80s he flips in on occasion. He throws everything for strikes and earns high marks for his above-average command of such a vast repertoire. Angels officials rave about his competitive nature on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: Two lost seasons have stunted Rodriguez's growth, but not his potential. Strength and conditioning will clearly be a focus in 2020, but if Rodriguez can stay healthy, he has the stuff, command and makeup to blossom into a front-of-the-rotation starter.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #15 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Rodriguez flashed tantalizing stuff at low Class A Burlington in 2017, but a stress reaction in his lower back suffered in spring training ultimately confined him to the Angels' Arizona training complex all of last season. In the end, the Angels decided it would be best for Rodriguez to focus on his rehabilitation instead of pitching for an affiliate.
  
  Scouting Report: Rodriguez has power stuff and a varied arsenal. He has a lively four-seam fastball that averages 95 mph, a sinking two-seam fastball that runs in to righthanded hitters, a changeup with screwball-like fading action at 83-86 mph, a big 80-mph overhand curve and a firm 86-mph slider with a distinctly different break than his curve. He throws all his pitches for strikes, although he can catch to much of the plate and be hittable.
  
  The Future: A year without pitching competitively stunted Rodriguez's growth, but the Angels still remain high on him because of his vast repertoire and competitiveness. Rodriguez is still only 20, and if he pitches in full-season ball in 2019, he will remain on a solid developmental track.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #7 prospect in 2018
  Rodriguez, who signed for a well-above-slot $850,000 in 2016, is considered by some to be the most promising homegrown arm in the Angels system. But his 2017 results--he went a combined 5-3, 6.16 in 14 starts for Rookie-level Orem and low Class A Burlington, striking out 56 and walking 14 in 57 innings--didn't match his potential. Rodriguez features a lively four-seam fastball that averages 95 mph, has touched 97 mph and sometimes cuts away from righthanded batters. He complements it with a sinking two-seamer that runs in to righties, making for an uncomfortable at-bat. He can throw his 83-86 mph changeup, his best secondary pitch, in any count, and it sometimes looks like a screwball the way the bottom drops out of it. He gets a hard, late break and good tilt on his 82-85 mph slider, and he's been throwing more of a 12-to-6 curveball. Rodriguez has an athletic, rhythmic delivery, but some scouts believe there's too much effort to his delivery, which he finishes with a big head whack. In part because of that, evaluators do not project Rodriguez to ever have more than average command. Rodriguez is mature with a good work ethic. With polish and experience, he could develop into a mid-rotation starter.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #8 prospect in 2017
  Rodriguez raised his draft stock in 2016 with a strong spring, including a seven-inning, 85-pitch, two-hit shutout in the state 5A semifinal for Miami's Pace High. He passed on a Jacksonville commitment to sign with the Angels for a well over-slot $850,000 and made his pro debut with seven Rookie-level Arizona League outings before being shut down for the year. Rodriguez has a lean, athletic build and delivers his fastball in the 92-94 mph range and tops out at 96. His breaking ball, which sits 78-80 mph, was called a two-plane slider by some scouts while others pegged it as a curveball. Rounding out his arsenal is a mid-80s changeup, with both of his secondary pitches grading as average right now. Rodriguez also works in a sinking two-seamer that moves like a slider. He has a quick arm and his pitches get good running movement. There's effort to his delivery, which he finishes with a big head whack, but he repeats it well and has good rhythm. At this point, Rodriguez is the best homegrown arm the Angels have, though lefthander Nate Smith is much more polished. He may profile better as a reliever down the road, but for now he'll continue to work as a starter. He's mature, a good worker and a leader on the field, with a chance to jump to low Class A Burlington in 2017.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #162 prospect in 2016 draft
  The Florida Athletic Coaches Association all-star games in Sebring two weeks before the draft is always a must-attend event for scouts. No one helped himself more at the event than Rodriguez, an athletic pitcher who showed that he could carry his 93-95 mph fastball deep into games. He also has a hard slider that is short and hard enough that it gets described as a cutter. Whatever you call it, it flashes plus. Rodriguez's delivery does worry some scouts--it's somewhat violent with a quick stab and a head whack, but he repeats it and throws strikes. Rodriguez has signed with Jacksonville.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pioneer League #2 prospect in 2017
  Rodriguez pitched better in the hitter-happy PL than his 6.40 ERA would indicate. He he mixed dominant outings with two ugly ones to start and end his time in Orem. Rodriguez uses an effective four-pitch mix, and all of which project to be above-average offerings. He gets plenty of movement on his 93-96 mph fastball that touches 97. His two-seamer runs in on righthanded batters, while his four-seamer at times looks like a slider because of the cut he generates. Rodriguez made big strides with his 83-86 mph changeup this year, and it's a future plus pitch that looks like a screwball with the bottom dropping out. Rodriguez shows feel for spin with his 78-82 mph curveball, which comes out of his hand looking similar to his fastball but has 12-to-6 break, and his 82-85 mph slider has late break and good tilt. Rodriguez repeats his delivery and has good feel despite a deep arm plunge.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Rodriguez had plenty of helium as a Miami-based prep arm in 2016, and the Angels were ecstatic to take him in the fourth round and sign him for an overslot $850,000 bonus. Rodriguez missed all of 2018 and most of 2019 with a stress reaction in his back, but he broke camp with the Angels after a strong spring training in 2021 and pitched in high-leverage relief before going down with shoulder inflammation. He has capsule repair surgery and missed the entire 2022 season.
  
  Scouting Report: Rodriguez has an exceptional four-pitch mix when healthy. His four-seam fastball and sinker both sit 95-96 mph and touch 98-99 with heavy gloveside run that puts batters away. Rodriguez's best secondary is a swing-and-miss, mid-80's curveball with extreme vertical break and his upper-80's, wipeout slider and diving changeup regularly flash above-average. Rodriguez has shown the ability to command all four of his pitches and throw strikes with average control, but his violent herky-jerky delivery puts a lot of stress on his body and has led to injuries and durability issues.
  
  The Future: Still just 24, Rodriguez is young enough to reach his potential but has to stay on the mound. He has a chance to emerge as a high-leverage reliever and should be healthy for the start of spring training in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 50
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Rodriguez had plenty of helium as a Miami-based prep arm in 2016, and the Angels were ecstatic to take him in the fourth round and sign him for an overslot $850,000 bonus. Rodriguez missed all of 2018 and most of 2019 with a stress reaction in his back, but he broke camp with the Angels after a strong spring training in 2021 and pitched in high-leverage relief before going down with shoulder inflammation. He has capsule repair surgery and missed the entire 2022 season.
  
  Scouting Report: Rodriguez has an exceptional four-pitch mix when healthy. His four-seam fastball and sinker both sit 95-96 mph and touch 98-99 with heavy gloveside run that puts batters away. Rodriguez's best secondary is a swing-and-miss, mid-80's curveball with extreme vertical break and his upper-80's, wipeout slider and diving changeup regularly flash above-average. Rodriguez has shown the ability to command all four of his pitches and throw strikes with average control, but his violent herky-jerky delivery puts a lot of stress on his body and has led to injuries and durability issues.
  
  The Future: Still just 24, Rodriguez is young enough to reach his potential but has to stay on the mound. He has a chance to emerge as a high-leverage reliever and should be healthy for the start of spring training in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 50
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record:: After missing most of 2018 and 2019 because of back injuries and 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Rodriguez broke camp with the Angels in 2021 and worked his way into high-leverage relief by going 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in his first eight appearances. But shoulder injuries derailed his season, and he underwent capsule repair surgery in October that will sideline him for most, if not all, of 2022.
  
  Scouting Report: Rodriguez would do well to smooth out a delivery that is a little high-effort at times, but he showed last season that he has the stuff to pitch in the big leagues. His four-pitch mix features a sinking fastball that sits 94-96 mph with and late tailing action, a wipeout, 89-90 mph slider that induces plenty of swings and misses, a big overhand curveball in the mid 80s with more than four feet of vertical drop and a 88-90 mph changeup with screwball-like action. Rodriguez throws plenty of strikes with his premium arsenal, but he hasn&#39t been able to stay on the mound. He has thrown more than 30 innings only once in four seasons, and that was in 2017.
  
  The Future: Rodriguez has the stuff to succeed as a starter or reliever in the majors, but another major injury has clouded his future. He&#39ll spend the year rehabbing and try to make it back healthy in 2023.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: After missing most of 2018 and 2019 because of back injuries and 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Rodriguez broke camp with the Angels in 2021 and worked his way into high-leverage relief by going 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in his first eight appearances. But shoulder injuries derailed his season, and he underwent capsule repair surgery in October that will sideline him for most, if not all, of 2022.
  
  Scouting Report: Rodriguez would do well to smooth out a delivery that is a little high-effort at times, but he showed last season that he has the stuff to pitch in the big leagues. His four-pitch mix features a sinking fastball that sits 94-96 mph with and late tailing action, a wipeout, 89-90 mph slider that induces plenty of swings and misses, a big overhand curveball in the mid 80s with more than four feet of vertical drop and a 88-90 mph changeup with screwball-like action. Rodriguez throws plenty of strikes with his premium arsenal, but he hasn’t been able to stay on the mound. He has thrown more than 30 innings only once in four seasons, and that was in 2017.
  
  The Future: Rodriguez has the stuff to succeed as a starter or reliever in the majors, but another major injury has clouded his future. He’ll spend the year rehabbing and try to make it back healthy in 2023.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 55. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Rodriguez has flashed wicked stuff since the Angels drafted him in the fourth round in 2016, but he's pitched just 77.2 innings in four seasons. He missed the 2018 season with a stress reaction in his lower back and made just three starts in 2019 before having season-ending back surgery to repair a stress fracture. Rodriguez returned in 2020 and earned high praise from big leaguers during summer camp. He threw about 65-70 innings between the alternate training site and instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez has a tantalizing four-pitch mix on par with any pitching prospect. His fastball comfortably sits 94-95 mph and touches 98 with hard sink and tailing life. All three of his secondary pitches flash plus, and he commands them better than his fastball. His slider is a wipeout offering at 87-91 mph, his big overhand curveball in the mid 80s gets batters swinging over the top, and his upper-80s changeup with screwball-like action might be his best pitch. Rodriguez matured physically and gained a better feel for his delivery over the past year. He spent the summer learning how to manipulate his pitches to create different movement.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rodriguez has the ingredients of a front-of-the-rotation starter, but he has to show he can stay healthy. That will be his main goal in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 55. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Rodriguez has flashed wicked stuff since the Angels drafted him in the fourth round in 2016, but he’s pitched just 77.2 innings in four seasons. He missed the 2018 season with a stress reaction in his lower back and made just three starts in 2019 before having season-ending back surgery to repair a stress fracture. Rodriguez returned in 2020 and earned high praise from big leaguers during summer camp. He threw about 65-70 innings between the alternate training site and instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez has a tantalizing four-pitch mix on par with any pitching prospect. His fastball comfortably sits 94-95 mph and touches 98 with hard sink and tailing life. All three of his secondary pitches flash plus, and he commands them better than his fastball. His slider is a wipeout offering at 87-91 mph, his big overhand curveball in the mid 80s gets batters swinging over the top, and his upper-80s changeup with screwball-like action might be his best pitch. Rodriguez matured physically and gained a better feel for his delivery over the past year. He spent the summer learning how to manipulate his pitches to create different movement.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rodriguez has the ingredients of a front-of-the-rotation starter, but he has to show he can stay healthy. That will be his main goal in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 55. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Rodriguez has flashed wicked stuff since the Angels drafted him in the fourth round in 2016, but he’s pitched just 77.2 innings in four seasons. He missed the 2018 season with a stress reaction in his lower back and made just three starts in 2019 before having season-ending back surgery to repair a stress fracture. Rodriguez returned in 2020 and earned high praise from big leaguers during summer camp. He threw about 65-70 innings between the alternate training site and instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez has a tantalizing four-pitch mix on par with any pitching prospect. His fastball comfortably sits 94-95 mph and touches 98 with hard sink and tailing life. All three of his secondary pitches flash plus, and he commands them better than his fastball. His slider is a wipeout offering at 87-91 mph, his big overhand curveball in the mid 80s gets batters swinging over the top, and his upper-80s changeup with screwball-like action might be his best pitch. Rodriguez matured physically and gained a better feel for his delivery over the past year. He spent the summer learning how to manipulate his pitches to create different movement.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rodriguez has the ingredients of a front-of-the-rotation starter, but he has to show he can stay healthy. That will be his main goal in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After sitting out the entire 2018 season with a stress reaction in his back, Rodriguez came out firing in 2019 with 13 strikeouts over 9.1 scoreless innings at high Class A Inland Empire. But his back flared up again in late April, and he had season-ending surgery to repair the stress fracture once and for all.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez flashed pure stuff in his brief return that rivaled anyone in the California League. He throws a four-seam fastball that averages 94 mph and touches 97 with late movement, and his two-seam fastball operates in the mid-90s with heavy sink and late life in on righthanded hitters. Rodriguez’s best secondary pitches are a nasty, plus slider that averages 89 mph and an upper-80s changeup with screwball-like fading action. His big overhand curveball is more of a show-me pitch in the low 80s he flips in on occasion. He throws everything for strikes and earns high marks for his above-average command of such a vast repertoire. Angels officials rave about his competitive nature on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: Two lost seasons have stunted Rodriguez’s growth, but not his potential. Strength and conditioning will clearly be a focus in 2020, but if Rodriguez can stay healthy, he has the stuff, command and makeup to blossom into a front-of-the-rotation starter.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After sitting out the entire 2018 season with a stress reaction in his back, Rodriguez came out firing in 2019 with 13 strikeouts over 9.1 scoreless innings at high Class A Inland Empire. But his back flared up again in late April, and he had season-ending surgery to repair the stress fracture once and for all.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez flashed pure stuff in his brief return that rivaled anyone in the California League. He throws a four-seam fastball that averages 94 mph and touches 97 with late movement, and his two-seam fastball operates in the mid-90s with heavy sink and late life in on righthanded hitters. Rodriguez's best secondary pitches are a nasty, plus slider that averages 89 mph and an upper-80s changeup with screwball-like fading action. His big overhand curveball is more of a show-me pitch in the low 80s he flips in on occasion. He throws everything for strikes and earns high marks for his above-average command of such a vast repertoire. Angels officials rave about his competitive nature on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: Two lost seasons have stunted Rodriguez's growth, but not his potential. Strength and conditioning will clearly be a focus in 2020, but if Rodriguez can stay healthy, he has the stuff, command and makeup to blossom into a front-of-the-rotation starter.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Rodriguez, who signed for a well above-slot $850,000 in 2016, is considered by some to be the most promising homegrown arm in the Angels system. But his 2017 results--he ran up a 6.16 ERA in 14 starts at Rookie-level Orem and low Class A Burlington--didn't match his potential. Scouting Report: Rodriguez features a lively four-seam fastball that averages 95 mph, has touched 97 and sometimes cuts away from righthanded batters. He complements it with a sinking two-seamer that runs in to righties, making for an uncomfortable at-bat. He can throw his 83-86 mph changeup, his best secondary pitch, in any count, and it sometimes looks like a screwball the way the bottom drops out. He gets a hard, late break and good tilt on his 82-85 mph slider, and he began throwing more of a 12-to-6 curveball. Rodriguez has an athletic, rhythmic delivery, but a pronounced head whack is a red flag for some scouts. In part because of that, evaluators do not project Rodriguez to ever have more than average control. The Future: Rodriguez is mature with a good work ethic. With polish and experience, he could develop into a mid-rotation starter.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Rodriguez raised his draft stock in 2016 with a strong spring, including a seven-inning, 85-pitch, two-hit shutout in the state 5A semifinal for Miami's Pace High. He passed on a Jacksonville commitment to sign with the Angels for a well over-slot $850,000 and made his pro debut with seven Rookie-level Arizona League outings before being shut down for the year. Scouting Report: Rodriguez has a lean, athletic build and delivers his fastball in the 92-94 mph range and tops out at 96. His breaking ball, which sits 78-80 mph, was called a two-plane slider by some scouts while others pegged it as a curveball. Rounding out his arsenal is a mid-80s changeup, with both of his secondary pitches grading as average right now. Rodriguez also works in a sinking two-seamer that moves like a slider. He has a quick arm and his pitches get good running movement. There's effort to his delivery, which he finishes with a big head whack, but he repeats it well and has good rhythm.
  
  The Future: At this point, Rodriguez is the best homegrown arm the Angels have, though lefthander Nate Smith is much more polished. Rodriguez may profile better as a reliever down the road, but for now he'll continue to work as a starter. He's mature, a good worker and a leader on the field, with a chance to jump to low Class A Burlington in 2017.
• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  The Florida Athletic Coaches Association all-star games in Sebring two weeks before the draft is always a must-attend event for scouts. No one helped himself more at the event than Rodriguez, an athletic pitcher who showed that he could carry his 93-95 mph fastball deep into games. He also has a hard slider that is short and hard enough that it gets described as a cutter. Whatever you call it, it flashes plus. Rodriguez's delivery does worry some scouts--it's somewhat violent with a quick stab and a head whack, but he repeats it and throws strikes. Rodriguez has signed with Jacksonville.