The Twins have agreed to a minor league contract with left-handed reliever Paco Rodriguez, reports Robert Murray of FanRag Sports (via Twitter). Rodriguez is represented by MVP Sports.
Now 27 years of age, Rodriguez was a second-round pick by the Dodgers back in 2012 and made his MLB debut just three months after being drafted out of Florida. Rodriguez played a pivotal role in the Dodgers’ bullpen over the next couple of seasons but spent most of the 2014-15 seasons in the minor leagues and ultimately underwent Tommy John late in the year in 2015. In all, he has a career 2.53 ERA with 9.6 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 and 0.6 HR/9 with a 47.2 percent ground-ball rate in 85 1/3 innings at the Major League level.
Rodriguez struggled with the Orioles’ rookie-level affiliate in nine appearances in 2017 as he worked his way back from that injury, and he opened the 2018 season with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League. Rodriguez made just one appearance before convincing Twins scouts that he was worth scooping up, however. It’s not clear what level he’ll report to, though if he can prove his health after a few injury-ruined seasons, he could provide the Minnesota organization with an intriguing left-handed bullpen option later in the season.
talk about falling off the face of the earth…..