Carlos Rodon

Carlos Antonio Rodon (born December 10, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at NC State. As a freshman in 2012, Rodon was nominated for and won several awards while breaking collegiate records. After his freshman year, he was ranked as the top prospect and earned a spot on Team USA's National Collegiate Baseball Team. In his sophomore year, he led the NC State Wolfpack to the College World Series and was then was placed back on Team USA in the summer of 2013. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.

Amateur career

High school

Carlos Rodon attended Holly Springs High School in Holly Springs, North Carolina. During his junior year in 2010, he threw a no-hitter, two one-hitters, and four shutouts. He went 10–1 with a 0.80 earned run average (ERA) and 115 strikeouts and was named all-state by the NCBCA (North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association). In 2011 he went 11–0 with a 1.40 ERA and 135 strikeouts, leading Holly Springs to the North Carolina 4A state championship over national powerhouse T. C. Roberson High School.^[1]

Rodon was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 16th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. However, he decided not to sign and instead attended North Carolina State University.^[2]

College

As a freshman in 2012, Rodon went 9–0 with a 1.57 ERA setting the North Carolina State University freshman record with 135 strikeouts and 43 walks in 117 innings pitched. He was the NCBWA Freshman Pitcher of the Year and an All-American. He was the first ever freshman to be named the Atlantic Coast Conference's pitcher of the year^[1] and freshman of the year after leading the North Carolina State Wolfpack to a super regional and a 43–20 overall record.^[3][4] In addition he was also a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award^[5][6] and was named the Louisville Slugger's National Freshman Pitcher of the Year.^[1] He led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in ERA (1.57), innings pitched ( 114 ²⁄₃), complete games (2), and opponent's batting average (.176) finishing second in the conference and third nationally in strikeouts.^[1][7]

In the 2013 season, Rodon led NC State to their first College World Series since 1968. In Rodon's sophomore season, he went 10–3 with a 2.99 ERA in 19 starts. In those 19 starts, Rodon struck out 184 batters and walked only 45. He had three complete games in  132 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched. Rodon's sophomore performance set the NC State single-season record with 184 strikeouts. He was also named ACC Pitcher of the Week back-to-back after recording career-highs of 14 and 16 strikeouts against FAU and LaSalle.^[8] He won the USA Baseball Richard W. "Dick" Case Player of the Year Award in 2013.^[9][10]

As a junior, Rodon broke the NC State school record for career strikeouts, which had previously been 386, during an April 11, 2014 game against the Duke Blue Devils^[11] He finished his career with 436. For the 2014 season, Rodon's record was 6–7 with a 2.01 ERA and 117 strikeouts in  98 ²⁄₃ innings.^[12]

International career

Rodon with Team USA

After his freshman year, Rodon earned a spot on USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. Originally, he almost turned down the offer because his coach at North Carolina State University, Elliott Avent had intentions of shutting him down for the summer. However, the offer was too good to refuse because Rodon would have had the opportunity to play in Cuba, where his family is from.^[13] After his sophomore year, Team USA once again had him listed as a top prospect and Rodon spent the summer of 2013 playing for the team (USA). Over the past two seasons on Team USA, Rodon allowed only three earned runs over thirty-six innings (0.75 ERA) and contributed forty-two strikeouts for the team.^[14]

Professional career

Minor leagues

The Chicago White Sox selected Rodon in the first round, third overall, in the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.^[15] He signed with the White Sox on July 11.^[16] He made his pro debut on July 22 with the Arizona League White Sox. After pitching for the Winston-Salem Dash of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League, the White Sox promoted Rodon to the Charlotte Knights of the Class AAA International League, where he debuted on August 19.^[17]

Chicago White Sox

On April 20, 2015, Rodon was called up to the Sox major league roster.^[18] The initial plan was to work Rodon out of the bullpen in the same way the team first used starter Chris Sale. Rodon made his Major League debut on April 21. He pitched 2.1 innings, giving up 2 runs, walked 3 batters, and struck out one.^[19] He recorded his first start, and his first win, in the second game of a May 9 doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at US Cellular Field, giving up two earned runs in six innings on four hits, four walks and eight strikeouts.^[20] In 26 games (23 starts), Rodon finished 9-6 with a 3.75 ERA.

On July 9, 2016, Rodon was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a left wrist sprain.^[21]

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• NC State Wolfpack bio
• Carlos Rodon on Twitter