The Pittsburgh Pirates have designated outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez for assignment, opening up a 40-man spot for the highly-rated Oneil Cruz. This move comes as no surprise, given Rodríguez's lack of success at the major league level and his recent minor league performance.
Rodríguez, 26, has never appeared in a big league game for the Bucs. He was acquired from the Orioles in a cash deal last month and has been kept on optional assignment since then, putting up a huge .351/.424/.509 line in 15 Triple-A games. While his minor league success is undeniable, with 1,403 Triple-A plate appearances and 62 home runs, his major league numbers tell a different story.
In 132 big league plate appearances, he has hit just .177/.288/.301 with a 31.8% strikeout rate. This discrepancy between his minor league and major league results is intriguing. Scouting reports from Baseball America suggest he has the Pedro Cerrano profile, with huge power but an inability to hit spin. Pitchers can just stay away from the fastball and watch him struggle, which is easier for big league arms to do since they tend to have better command of their secondary stuff.
This raises a deeper question: is Rodríguez's lack of success at the major league level due to his inability to hit spin, or is it something else? Perhaps it's a combination of factors, including his final option season and the fact that he has been bouncing around the league a bit. Cleveland designated him for assignment in March, and he was traded to the O's but got the DFA-and-trade treatment again last month.
Now that the trade deadline has passed, he can’t be traded again. The Bucs will have to place him on waivers. Perhaps another club will be intrigued by the huge minor league numbers, especially since he can be kept in the minors for the remainder of the season. In my opinion, the Pirates are making a smart move by opening up a spot for Cruz, who is a highly-rated prospect with a bright future.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the contrast between Rodríguez's minor league success and his major league struggles. It raises questions about the challenges faced by young players transitioning from the minors to the big leagues. In my view, the Pirates are making a calculated risk by designating Rodríguez for assignment, and it will be interesting to see how this plays out for both players.
