According to multiple reports, the Baltimore Orioles are set to call up their top pitching prospect, Grayson Rodriguez, to make his MLB debut on Wednesday afternoon against the Texas Rangers.
Rodriguez, who played for the National Team at International Week in Sugar Land, Texas in 2017, is set to become the second New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series alum to reach the big leagues, behind only Bo Naylor, who he faced twice in that event.
Since being drafted with the No. 11 overall pick by Baltimore in 2018, Rodriguez has done nothing but perform, using a four-pitch mix that primarily features a plus slider and fastball that has touched 100 MPH. A consensus top-ten prospect in all of baseball, the 23-year-old righty likely would have been up last year had an injury not taken three months out of his season.
In 70 minor-league outings, Rodriguez has stunning numbers; he’s posted a 25-9 record over 69 starts, a 2.49 ERA and has struck out a whopping 421 batters compared to just 102 walks in 296 professional innings pitched. He competed for a spot in the big league rotation in spring training this year, but was ultimately sent back to Triple-A Norfolk, where he got the Opening Day start and allowed two earned runs over four innings of work.
The Houston native will face Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom in his debut, which is set to take place at Globe Life Park, a roughly four hour drive from home. The game is set for 1:05 PM local time.
“We’re all extremely proud of Grayson as he takes this next big step in his career,” said Future Stars Series CEO, president and founder Jeremy Booth. “G has earned it. Talk about someone who was overlooked until the last minute- this cat didn’t make his Area Code team, none of the famous “publications” at the time knew his name and then all of a sudden he’s 98 and they’ve all got him at the top. He’s driven, hardworking, relentless, focused, and his family has instilled all of this in him. He will go as far as he wants to, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
