South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 104: José Rodulfo

José Rodulfo

Right-Handed Relief Pitcher
6´0´´
165 pounds
Age: 22
2022 High Level Arizona Complex League (Rookie)
Age relative to high level -0.2 years
SSS rank among all right-handed relief pitchers in the system 23
Overall 2022 stats 2-0 ▪️ 13 games ▪️ 20 IP ▪️ 2.70 ERA ▪️ 9 BB ▪️ 22 K ▪️ 1.050 WHIP

On José Rodulfo’s 16th birthday, he signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Right away, he got to work in the DSL and as a starter, ate up the competition. His 2.37 ERA over two seasons and 28 games/26 starts marked him as a rising star among many in the L.A. system.

But once he got to the U.S for Arizona rookie ball in 2019, things got rougher, although playing 2.6 years younger than his level will do that do any player. Couple that with a season lost to the pandemic, and Rodulfo was never really able to get his footing back in the Dodgers organization. On March 16, 2022 L.A. released him.

The White Sox, no dummies in the sense that picking up something L.A. leaves out on the curb could bolster a weak system, snapped Rodulfo up two weeks later. The righty was trotted out for 13 games of ACL work, finished three of them, and overall was stellar.

His Baseball Cube player ratings, from best to worst
Durability 65
Walks 63
K/BB 52
Hittable 52
vs. Power 52
Strikeouts 31
Team Winning Percentage .545

Now, as always, there’s a caveat: Rodulfo has never pitched more than 14 games in a single season. While in the DSL, where guys are playing sometimes as young as 16 and the plurality of players are still in their teens, the caution makes some sense. But Rodulfo is entering his age-22 season and will need to move up to Kannapolis and give the Cannon Ballers a full season out of the pen.

Flip side, he seems never to have missed significant injury time, and carries a career 3.26 WHIP into 2023. Our Top Prospect list is rife with righty relievers, but Rodulfo could be a sleeper.

2023 South Side Sox Top 104 White Sox Prospects

104. José Rodulfo, RHRP