Yariel Rodriguez

Rodriguez will turn 27 years old in March and has never pitched in affiliated ball, and he didn't pitch anywhere at all in 2023. Ordinarily, such a player wouldn't be worth a second thought, but the Cuban right-hander's situation is unique. After spending six seasons in his home country as a starter, Rodriguez moved to Japan in 2020 and converted to relief, producing a 3.03 ERA across three seasons. He pitched for Cuba at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, allowing two runs while striking out 10 in 7.1 innings, but that was his only official game action of the season, as he spent the remainder of the year working out in the Dominican Republic while going through the legal process that would allow him to defect from Cuba and pitch stateside. That rustiness may give MLB clubs pause, as might his 10.4% walk rate in Japan, though it's worth noting that he cut that figure to 8.2% in his final season, a year in which he recorded a 1.15 ERA. Rodriguez didn't earn any saves in Japan, so the odds of him closing in America any time soon are slim, but he should be able to help a big-league bullpen. Read Past Outlooks