DENVER, Colo.- Florida SouthWestern State freshman Carlos Rodriguez was drafted in the 6th round, 177th overall of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft on Monday, making him the highest drafted Buccaneer since the program's rebirth in 2016 and the school's highest since 1993 when Kerry Ward went in the 4th round to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rodriguez was lights out atop the Bucs rotation this season earning 1st Team All-Suncoast Conference honors, finishing 7-2 with a 2.11 ERA which was best of any FSW starter. He struck out 62 and walked just 12 in 47 innings pitched, holding opposing hitters to a .213 batting average. Rodriguez put together a couple of unhittable stretches during his freshman campaign for the Bucs, opening the year by throwing nine shutout innings over his first two starts while striking out 16 and walking just one and later in the season, went five innings in back to back starts, allowing just three total hits while striking out 12 in conference wins over Hillsborough and St. Petersburg.
Rodriguez was the fourth NJCAA player drafted on Monday behind only Juco World Series MVP Logan Henderson of McLennan, Mason Auer of San Jacinto, and Dayton Dooney of Central Arizona.
Rodriguez is the highest drafted Florida SouthWestern player in program history, upping Ryan Gusto's 11th round selection in 2019 by the Houston Astros.