Cumberland Alum, Joe Joe Rodriguez, signs with NY Mets
VINELAND - Rarely do plans work out. No matter how hard you try to stay on the path and avoid distractions, something unexpected happens and you are forced to switch course. This is not the case for Cumberland alum, Jose Rodriguez. "Joe Joe" was a 2017 graduate of Vineland High School, and all things considered, he was not a major prospect coming out of high school. His plan was to attend Cumberland and work his way into being a prospect.
The under-recruited righthander joined the Dukes pitching staff in 2018 looking to prove the doubters wrong. Did he ever. The fireballer developed into a force for the Dukes balancing roles as a starter and closer during the 2019 Championship season. Rodriguez would go 8-2 on the season with 54.1 innings pitched and 65 strikeouts. He would pitch a crucial 2.1 innings to earn the win in the winner's bracket final against Rowan-Gloucester at the World Series, holding the Roadrunners last efforts to tie the game. Rodriguez and the Dukes would go on to win the 2019 National Championship.
Two weeks later, Rodriguez's dream would come true as he was selected in the 20th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds. However, he had a plan and he intended to stick to it. Prior to the draft he had committed to St. John's University as he received a significant scholarship offer to attend the high level academic institution. His plan was to earn his bachelor's degree while keeping his professional baseball dreams alive. For a full recap of Joe Joe's baseball career with the Red Storm click here: https://redstormsports.com/sports/baseball/roster/joe-joe-rodriguez/4662
During his time at St. John's, Joe Joe faced every form of adversity you can think of. The COVID-19 pandemic hit cancelling the 2020 season and a family tragedy occurred just before the 2021 season. Joe Joe stayed true to his path, using that adversity as fuel and he would overcome. His path would lead him to the Trenton Thunder of the MLB Draft League where he would showcase his talents once more against the top prospects in baseball. During his time in Trenton another unexpected family tragedy occurred and he had every reason to give up. Once again, he used adversity as motivation that would eventually lead to joining the New York Mets farm system as he signed with the organization on August 3. He will report to the team's facility in Port St. Lucie, FL immediately.
"To be quite honest, when I saw Joe Joe walk off the mound after his outing on July 15, I teared up a bit," said JD Dijamco, Director of Athletics who also was on the coaching staff during Joe Joe's time at Cumberland. "I remember him being this skinny kid playing third base with the loud mouth. To see him now, after all he's been through personally, he absolutely deserves this opportunity. He still has that loud mouth though."
Joe Joe is the third Duke in five years that has been signed by the New York Mets organization. In 2016, the Mets signed Joe Zanghi after being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2015 MLB Draft. Zanghi is currently with the Syracuse Mets (AAA). In 2019, Dan Goggin 17' was drafted by the Mets in the 17th round after a successful career at James Madison University. Goggin is currently rehabbing from injury, but has reached Double-A Binghamton prior to the injury. As mentioned, Joe Joe will report to the team's facility in Port St. Lucie, FL and he is expected to join the team officially on Monday, August 8 for their game against the Palm Beach Cardinals. He is the ninth former Duke to sign a professional contract since 2014.