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Bluefish pitcher is second player this season to have contract purchased
By PAUL HERRMANN
Bridgeport Bridgeport Bluefish team officials today announced that pitcher Julio Rodriguez has had his contract purchased by the Chicago Cubs organization. He will report to Double-A Tennessee of the Southern League.
Julio is a very talented individual, says Bluefish manager Willie Upshaw. We appreciate his hard work this season and wish him the best of luck with his new organization.
Rodriguez appeared in four games (three starts) for the Bluefish in 2014, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.59 ERA. He struck out 18 batters and only allowed seven hits over the course of 17.1 innings of work. Last year, he spent his only season in the Baltimore Orioles farm system starting the year with Double-A Bowie and making a stop in Single-A Frederick before finishing the year with the GCL Orioles. The Julio started a combined seven games going 27.2 innings while recording 28 strikeouts. He was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Orioles for minor league outfielder Ronnie Welty last March.
The hurler started his career with the GCL Phillies after he was drafted by Philadelphia in the eighth round of the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy. In 2010 he went a combined 7-3 with a minuscule 1.89 ERA in 20 games (12 starts) with Single-A Williamsport and Lakewood. Rodriguez followed up his 2010 campaign by being promoted to High-A Clearwater of the Florida State League posting a 16-7 record with a 2.76 ERA in 27 starts.
The right-hander was selected to both the 2012 Futures Game and Eastern League All-Star Game. Baseball America ranked him ranked him the Phillies 17th best prospect following the 2011 season. The 23-year-old has appeared in 105 minor league games (79 starts) posting a 3.61 ERA with a 33-23 record and 540 strikeouts in 486 innings.
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