Yerry Rodríguez #57 of the Texas Rangers )
After a quiet stretch, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ front office has sprung into action, looking to rebuild their minor-league system with some fresh faces. Recently, the team reportedly signed right-handed pitcher Yerry Rodriguez to a minor-league deal, continuing their approach of bolstering organizational depth while also seeking opportunities to develop under-the-radar talent.
Rodriguez, 26, pitched in 2024 for both the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays, but his time at the major-league level was far from impressive. In fact, it was marked by inconsistency, poor control, and an inability to stick with either team. However, his physical tools and potential have caught the eye of the Pirates, who are hoping that a change of scenery, along with some targeted coaching, could unlock something in the right-hander.
Struggling in 2024: What the Numbers Tell Us
Rodriguez’s 2024 season was a difficult one. With Texas and Toronto, he accumulated just 21.2 innings at the MLB level, posting a bloated 8.72 ERA and a WHIP of 1.80. His strikeout rate was underwhelming (16.2%), and his walk rate (12.4%) was even more concerning, making it clear that control issues were a significant problem for the young pitcher. Opponents hit .289 against him, and his Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) of 7.87 painted a bleak picture of his performance.
After being demoted to Triple-A, Rodriguez’s struggles continued. In 20 innings at that level, he posted a 4.50 ERA with a similarly high WHIP of 1.80. While those numbers are better than his major-league stats, they still don’t inspire much confidence. So, why would the Pirates take a chance on a pitcher with these results?
The Stuff: Is There Potential?
Despite his underwhelming stats, Rodriguez does possess a fastball that can reach the upper 90s and a promising pitch mix. His fastball averaged around 96.5 mph in 2024 (with a peak of 97.2 mph in 2023), which, if harnessed correctly, could be an effective weapon. His slider also shows intriguing movement, with a vertical drop of 34.4 inches and six inches of glove-side horizontal break. He also throws a changeup with notable drop and arm-side horizontal movement. While Rodriguez’s pitches haven’t yielded results at the major-league level, the physical tools are there for improvement.
In short, the Pirates are betting on the potential for development rather than immediate results.
The Brent Strom Factor: Could the Pirates Fix What Ails Him?
Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism surrounding Rodriguez’s signing is the addition of pitching guru Brent Strom to the Pirates’ staff. Strom, who previously worked with the Houston Astros as their pitching coach, is widely regarded as one of the best at developing pitchers. His ability to work with pitchers with unconventional arsenals and get the most out of them has already been proven in Pittsburgh, as he helped revamp Dennis Santana, a waiver claim who is now expected to be a high-leverage arm for the Pirates in 2025.
Rodriguez and Santana share similarities in their pitching profiles. Both rely heavily on their four-seam fastball and slider, and both have shown the potential for impressive movement on their pitches. If Strom and pitching coach Oscar Marin can apply the same approach that helped revitalize Santana, Rodriguez could see a significant turnaround in his career.
A Low-Risk, High-Reward Move
Ultimately, the addition of Yerry Rodriguez is a low-risk move for the Pirates, especially given that he’s coming in on a minor-league deal. The team isn’t expecting him to crack the Opening Day roster or make an immediate impact in the bullpen. Rather, they’re looking at him as a depth piece who could be useful in the event of an injury or as a developmental project in the pitching lab.
This is similar to Pittsburgh’s approach with other minor-league signings like Yohan Ramirez—a player who was also brought in with the hope that the Pirates’ coaching staff could unlock some untapped potential. While these types of moves don’t generate headlines, they can prove to be valuable if things click.
For now, Rodriguez’s future with the Pirates remains uncertain, but if the team can capitalize on his raw stuff and make the necessary adjustments, he could emerge as a pleasant surprise in a few seasons. In the world of minor-league free-agent signings, this is the type of low-risk, high-reward move that Pittsburgh is banking on to help build a competitive, sustainable pitching staff for the future.
