Grayson Rodriguez, 2023 Fantasy Outlook

Orioles’ GM Mike Elias on Grayson Rodriguez, “I hope he makes the opening-day rotation.” Hey, Mike, that makes two of us. Elias Sports activities Bureau requested of Mike Elias, “Are you our father?” Grayson Rodriguez is the largest pitfall for fantasy baseball rookies posts. I’ve been right here already. I assumed he’d be up final 12 months. Was very disappointing to not see Grayson Rodriguez. I’d love to put all of it on the ft of the Orioles. “Hey, what are you sporting, Lake Placid Summit Boy’s Adjustables?” That’s me seeing the cheapskates that the Orioles are fitted in. (I googled low cost ice skates, if these aren’t cheapskates, I don’t know. Go away me alone.) Any hoo! It wasn’t all their fault, Grayson had a extreme lat pressure from about Could till September. So, yeah, that sucked. A minimum of he didn’t win Minor League Pitcher of the 12 months three years in a row. Sure, he gained it the earlier two years, which is such a jizzoke. The Orioles are low cost eh-eff. This type of bee ess actually wants to finish, so I can cease spelling out cuss phrases. There ought to be zero incentive for a MLB workforce to maintain a prospect within the minors if he’s prepared. Grayson Rodriguez prolly may’ve had a season pretty much as good as Alek Manoah final 12 months, if he stayed wholesome and was really within the majors, however he’s throwing darts within the minors. So, what can we anticipate from Grayson Rodriguez for 2023 fantasy baseball?

Right here’s what I mentioned final 12 months, “Right here’s Grayson Rodriguez, and we’ll choose up all the things we all know on the opposite aspect of feasting your peep-holes on him:

Particularly just like the pitch in direction of the tip that the catcher can’t even get a glove on. That’s filth. That’s what an ace appears to be like like within the minors.” And that’s me quoting me! His minor league outcomes are simply goofy. In Triple-A final 12 months, he had 69 2/3 IP and a 2.20 ERA with a 12.5 Ok/9 and a couple of.7 BB/9. There’s no such factor as a pitching prospect, however this man feels about as near a lock as you’re going to search out. Right here’s what Prospect Itch mentioned about Grayson Rodriguez beforehand, “The eleventh total choose in 2018 stands 6’5” and weighs in at 220 kilos. Contemplating that he’s wielding 5 doubtlessly plus pitches and arising beneath the previous Houston mind belief of Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal, he offers me Forrest Whitley vibes in one of the simplest ways. I’d like to know if the entrance workplace has the same really feel and can attempt to keep away from placing Rodriguez right into a two-pitch, cookie-cutter field the best way Houston handled Whitley’s numerous arsenal. Talking of cookie-cutter, I’d wish to stamp Gray’s head.” Not cool, shifting on!

Grayson, which is by the best way what I named my precise make-believe son, didn’t cease at two pitches as Itch nervous about. He has three plus-pitches (fastball, slider, change) and the curve isn’t shabby. 4 plus-pitches is principally:  Go take a nap, Mr. Hitter, as a result of Grayson’s gonna strike you out. ACKCHUALLY, three plus-pitches is that too. You don’t want 4. You positively don’t want 5. Is Males at Work’s Overkill taking part in proper now? Sure, it’s. Grayson’s pitches in GIF kind is, “Cease! He’s already useless!” from The Simpsons concerning the hitters he’s dealing with.

Grayson Rodriguez is without doubt one of the greatest pitching prospects within the minors. Full cease. Or “periodt” should you’re a “quirky” white lady, as City Dictionary defines them. On Prospect Itch’s prime 100 fantasy baseball prospects, Grayson is tenth, and the highest pitcher, who isn’t out with Tommy John. Grey-Rod, which appears like however is completely different than A-Rod kissing the mirror, has a Sistine ceiling. The sky’s the restrict, actually. For 2023, I’ll give Grayson Rodriguez projections of 8-3/3.37/1.07/127 in 106 IP, with an opportunity for extra relying on the Orioles, however I believe that’s actually optimistic for MLB taking part in time as a result of he additionally doesn’t have many innings on his arm, after his partial previous 12 months.