Brody Rodning has Made Strong Impression on the Blue Jays and Former Teammates

[Seth Stohs]

When the Twins acquired Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson from the Blue Jays last June, they were both playing for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. One of their teammates was one of the best pitchers to come out of Minnesota in the past decade. 

While prospects like Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson have long been household names, Brody Rodning may only be known by die-hard Blue Jays prospect followers and the people from Gaylord, MN, Sibley East High School, and Minnesota State, Mankato. However, more people should be talking about the hard-throwing left-handed relief pitching prospect who had 16 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League in 2021.

Brody Rodning grew up on a farm, just outside of Gaylord, MN, a town of about 2,300 people southwest of the Twin Cities. A drive to Target Field will take just over an hour (depending on what time you are driving there!). 

He became a star athlete at Sibley East High School. He was a three-time letter winner in three sports. He was the quarterback on the football team. He was the leading scorer on the basketball team. But it was baseball where he really shined. As a senior, he went 4-2 with a 0.74 ERA. In 38 innings, he struck out 81 batters. 

Upon graduation, he took the short drive south to pitch at Minnesota State, Mankato, one of the strongest Division II teams in the country. 

As a freshman in 2015, he went 9-0 with a 2.85 ERA. In 66 1/3 innings, he walked 18 and struck out 65 batters. In his sophomore season, he went 6-2 with a 4.34 ERA. In 74 2/3 innings, he walked 36 and struck out 84 batters. In his junior year, he went 6-4 with a 3.47 ERA. In 70 innings, he had 34 walks and 77 strikeouts. 

Following his junior season, he was the 13th round draft choice of the Toronto Blue Jays. After one appearance in the Gulf Coast League, he was pushed to the Advanced Rookie League in Vancouver where he went 4-1 with a 4.64 ERA in 33 innings. 

Rodning spent the 2018 season in the Midwest League. In 35 games, all out of the bullpen, he went 5-3 with a 3.89 ERA. He pitched well for Lansing in 2019, but he only got into seven games due to time on the Injured List. 

As we all know, 2020 was the Covid pandemic year. There was no minor league season. Rodning was at home, helping on the family farm and playing catch at the local ball field. He reached out to his employer, the Blue Jays, and asked if he could play town ball for the Gaylord Islanders. The Minnesota Baseball Association had to approve it too. They did. 

He got to work some innings. He got to play in the outfield and even hit for the first time in years. As you would imagine, he was dominant on the mound. And just as nice, he got to play ball for the summer with his brother McKoy. 

You may recall that the 2021 minor-league season started about a month late due to Covid protocols. However, at the start of the MLB season, Rodning was pitching at the team's alternate site. When their regular season began, he was assigned to Double-A New Hampshire where he went 3-4 with a 5.58 ERA in 32 games. In 40 1/3 innings, he walked 18 and struck out 43 batters. The numbers may not jump out, but when you consider that he had a five-game stretch where he gave up 11 of his 25 earned runs in five games (6 2/3 innings). He was pretty dominant the rest of the season. 

With the Fisher Cats, Rodning was a teammate of Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson, at least until they were traded to the Twins in the Jose Berrios deal. Both new Twins prospects discussed what a great friend and teammate Rodning is, but they also noted the quality of his stuff on the mound.  

On Twins Spotlight in November, Wood Richardson said of Rodning, “(He’s a) hard-throwing lefty. Nasty slider. Nasty cutter. Great guy. One of those guys that throws across his body, it’s just so funky that no one can pick it up. His delivery is one of a kind, very unique. Hard-throwing lefty. One of those guys that just will come after you. Don’t care. He’ll just shut the door.”

Last week, Martin said of Rodning, “Great teammate. Awesome guy. I talked to him sometime last week. Great teammate. Hard worker. And then facing him is an uncomfortable AB. He’s got a three-quarter slot. His fastball gets on you. He’s got good stuff. He’s a good baseball player.”

Rodning told Twins Daily this weekend, “Both of them are great teammates, for sure, both on and off the field. The Twins definitely got two guys that are hungry and ready to grind.” 

Regarding Martin, Rodning said, “(He) is an incredible athlete and will succeed at any position he plays. He’s a winner, and that’s huge.” 

On Woods Richardson, Rodney said, “Sim, that man competes at any level he plays and always thinks he’s the best, which is a great characteristic to have. 

We’ll save the last words for Rodning’s agent, Matt Gaeta of Gaeta Sports Management. “His drive and relentless pursuit to better himself each and every day are contagious and inspiring. He’s been through a lot, on and off the field, but his vision and hunger for success are traits that will make him successful not only on the field but also off of it as well.”

Rodning is in Dunedin, Florida, for spring training right now, excited to get the season going, hoping that he’ll be able to pitch at Target Field sometime. Martin and Woods Richardson are both in Ft. Myers, hoping to make Target Field their home field. 

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[RJA]

For a cold weather state, Minnesota has produced a lot of good ball players.  Brody grew up in good baseball country--there is a lot of good town ball in that area running from Marshall south and east through Gaylord, New Ulm, Mankato and into Chaska. Plus, Minnesota State University, Mankato definitely recruits the high schools in the area well.  It sounds like Brody has a good combination of stuff and deception so I sure hope he can make the bigs.  You have given me another name to follow and cheer for this summer! I will watch for him on MilB TV.

[TheLeviathan]

Wow...my hometown and I know the family.   Good for this kid!

[Parker Hageman]

On 3/8/2022 at 8:18 PM, RJA said:

For a cold weather state, Minnesota has produced a lot of good ball players...

Having been on the national club circuit with some 16 & 17U players the last two years, I've had some interesting conversations about Minnesota talent. 

The two things that people for outside of the state (and usually in the warmer states) say that our teams really can hit and pitch. 

I think when you break it down, that's where the vast majority of the offseason development time is focused. Minnesotans can get into cages for swings and throw bullpens in gyms, field houses and warehouses. 

The downside is that the defensive talent is usually 12 months or more behind the warm-weather kids. They just get more reps at a younger age. It takes a while for the northern class to catch up. 

But the state has been known to produce dudes so more D1 schools are making a swing through the state to look at the high school talent whereas they wouldn't have just a few years ago.

[RJA]

1 hour ago, Parker Hageman said:

Having been on the national club circuit with some 16 & 17U players the last two years, I've had some interesting conversations about Minnesota talent. 

The two things that people for outside of the state (and usually in the warmer states) say that our teams really can hit and pitch. 

I think when you break it down, that's where the vast majority of the offseason development time is focused. Minnesotans can get into cages for swings and throw bullpens in gyms, field houses and warehouses. 

The downside is that the defensive talent is usually 12 months or more behind the warm-weather kids. They just get more reps at a younger age. It takes a while for the northern class to catch up. 

But the state has been known to produce dudes so more D1 schools are making a swing through the state to look at the high school talent whereas they wouldn't have just a few years ago.

Great information, Parker, and great to hear!  Thank you for sharing your expertise on this.  I LOVE following the Minnesota/Upper Midwest kids in college and the pros, and I am happy to hear that D1 schools are more heavily recruiting our young men.  That is great news for the players, schools, and fans.