Pudge watches son throw dazzling start in Class-A ball
Ivan 'Pudge' Rodriguez had an incredible career in the major leagues, and now his son is trying to carry the proverbial torch and begin his own.
Dereck, the 23-year-old son of the Texas Rangers icon, is currently pitching for the Minnesota Twins' Class-A affiliate in the Appalachian League. Earlier this week, as Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News detailed, Dereck carried a no-hit bid all the way until the seventh inning, when it was undone due to a base hit.
This is noteworthy given that Dereck just became a pitcher last year, after being converted from an outfielder due to issues progressing as a hitter.
As Fraley noted, Pudge was on-hand to watch his son's game. Dereck Rodriguez was quoted as saying his father commended him for, "...locating the ball well and a good job throwing the right pitches in the right counts."
He's still a ways from getting close to the big-league level, but keep an eye on Dereck Rodriguez - his father certainly already is.