TOWNE INTERVIEW
Grayson Rodriguez Bowie Baysox Star Pitcher
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By Tom Worgo Photography courtesy Bowie Baysox and Baltimore Orioles
f pitcher Grayson Rodriguez makes his professional debut with the Baltimore Orioles this season, it promises to add luster to a struggling franchise. Rodriquez, ranked as minor league baseball’s top pitching prospect last year, has all the makings of an ace.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Rodriguez possesses an impressive four-pitch repertoire—even clocking 100 miles per hour on the radar gun—with solid control and has ascended through the Orioles minor league system rapidly.
The Orioles drafted the right-hander out of Central Heights High in Texas with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 Major League Draft, and he signed for $4.3 million. Rodriguez could make the majors this season along with catcher and close friend Adley Rutschman, another rising star in the organization. 48
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Rodriguez made quite an impression with Double-A Bowie Baysox last season after being promoted from Single-A Aberdeen. He went 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 79 innings while yielding only 47 hits. We talked with the 22-year-old Rodriguez about potentially playing in Baltimore in 2022, keys to his development, living in a camper in the minors, and his passion for hunting. When the moment comes, will you be ready to pitch in Camden Yards? Have you played over in your mind being on the mound there? How do you feel? Absolutely. If you ask me, I feel like I have been ready. Obviously, it’s not up to me. The organization is going to do what’s best for me. Being in the big leagues is something I think about every day. Every time I think about
baseball. I try to visualize it, and when the moment comes you are ready for it. It’s hard to not get excited. You worked with catcher Adley Rutschman, who has been called the future face of the Baltimore franchise. Can you talk about your relationship with him? What did you learn from him? We hang out a lot together. He is a close friend. We have played together in the minors for a few years. We go to the movies and dinner. During the game, he sets up well behind the plate and is great at giving me feedback. Can you see the two of you playing in Baltimore for years to come? Absolutely. We look ahead to the future. I see myself as an Oriole hopefully for the next 20 years. We talk about winning ball games together and a World Series.
