The seventh best starting pitcher in the 2021 Valley League season is Harrisonburg’s Andres Rodriguez!

Rodriguez, a five-foot-nine righthander from Melbourne, Florida, was excellent for the Turks. In 28 regular season innings, he went 3-2, 2.25, with a .200 BAA, 1.143 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9, and 11.6 K/9. He finished fifth in the league in ERA, seventh in strikeouts, eighth in BAA, and third in K/9. He pitched one shutout inning in the All-Star game, and was named second team All-Valley at the end of the year.

His best start was on June 18 against Charlottesville, when he fired five shutout innings, allowed only two hits, no walks, and struck out five. He was also very good on July 8 against Staunton, going six innings and allowing three hits, one run, two walks, and striking out six. He got the win in both games.

Rodriguez spent two seasons (2018 and 2019) at Eastern Florida State College. He didn’t pitch in ’18, but he was a very good 2-5, 1.84 in 29 1/3 innings in ’19, with 45 strikeouts, too. He transferred to Florida Tech for 2020, and saw 10 1/3 innings in the Covid-shortened ’20 season. In ’21, he went 1-1, 10.47 in 16 1/3 innings, albeit with 23 strikeouts.