2024 American Association Rookie Pitcher of Year Sebastian Rodriguez Signs
SCHAUMBURG, Il. (June 27) – The Washington Wild Things have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Sebastian Rodriguez, a Point Park University product and the 2024 American Association Rookie Pitcher of the Year, on a deal that makes him the newest Wild Thing. He’ll make his team debut tonight in the series opener against the Schaumburg Boomers at Wintrust Field.
Rodriguez was pitching in Mexico for Dorados de Chihuahua at the beginning of the 2025 season. He was 1-3 with a 7.04 ERA in 16 games (one start). He fanned 21 in 23 innings. The more impressive work for Rodriguez in pro ball came state-side in 2024, where he was 11-4 with a 3.71 ERA in 21 games, 17 of which were starts, for the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association. He posted two complete games, one being a shutout, and in 114 innings, walked only 38, allowed 101 hits and whiffed 95. On top of being named the American Association’s Rookie Pitcher of the Year at the end of the season, he was named the Association’s August Pitcher of the Month. And was Pitcher of the Week for the week ending August 11.
He played with RA12 in the Puerto Rico Winter League in 2023-24 and was 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 12 games (eight starts). In 48 innings there, he walked 14 and struck out 36. With RA12, he was teammates with a host of current and former Frontier League talent, including former Wild Thing Cole Roberts (2024), who’s now playing in the Phillies’ organization. He also was teammates with former Wild Things lefty Ryan Munoz (2024). Rodriguez pitched for State College in the draft league in 2023 and made 10 appearances for the Spikes, six of which were starts. There he went 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in 41 innings with 13 walks and 38 strikeouts.
He spent his final collegiate season at Point Park in 2023 and was 7-2 with, depending on where you look, a near 2.50 ERA. He came to Point Park as a senior transferring in from NAIA school Peru State (Neb.). The Pioneers won the Rivers State Conference title and made it to the NAIA National Tournament that season. Rodriguez was primarily used as a closer before converting to starting late in the year. He threw a near-perfect game on Senior Day to end the regular season before tossing eight scoreless innings in the conference tournament. He picked up the save against No.4-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan in the national tournament.
Rodriguez will start for the Wild Things in tonight’s series opener at Wintrust Field, with first pitch scheduled for 7:30/6:30 p.m. ET.
