What to Know About the Prospect the Guardians Got in Return for Johnathan Rodriguez

The Cleveland Guardians have shaken up the roster.

Following the decision to designate prospect outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez for assignment just days ago, a move that was done to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins, the Guardians' front office was able to find a trade partner for the talented 26-year-old.

In the late hours of Sunday, March 29, a few hours before the Guardians were set to take on the Seattle Mariners in a West Coast matchup, the front office dealt Rodríguez to the Baltimore Orioles. In exchange for Rodríguez, the Guardians received right-handed pitcher Carter Rustad.

So, who is Rustad and was it a good return for a player with Rodríguez's ceiling?

Rustad's First Year of Professional Ball

Drafted in the 15th round of the 2024 MLB June Amateur Draft, Rustad was a major question mark. There wasn't much shown at the college level to warrant trust that he'd turn out to much, but in his first year of professional ball, he actually looked really sharp.

Across time in Single-A, High-A and Double-A ball, Rustad consistently showed that he had what it takes to be a professional pitcher. He tossed a 1.46 ERA in Single-A, hopped up to a mark of 4.15 in High-A, before dropping right back down to a strong 3.32 in Double-A. That type of quick movement through the minors may rattle some youngsters, but Rustad welcomed it.

He finished his first year with an average ERA of 3.23, a WHIP of 1.189 and an average mark of 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

Fortunately, with how 2026 has started with Guardians pitchers giving up home runs, a sigh of relief is that Rustad didn't give up many. He averaged just 0.3 per nine innings.

Before the Pros

Before he became a member of the Orioles' organization, he actually spent five seasons playing college ball. While with the Missouri Tigers for three seasons, he was okay, but didn't really stand out.

He pitched to a 4.73 ERA in 2022, before missing all but one game in 2023. He then returned to the mound in 2024, tossing a 6.37 ERA across 14 games played and eight starts. While he was giving up a lot of runs, he was actually pretty consistent at striking out batters, totaling 100 across 116.1 innings pitched in his last two years of collegiate play combined.

His WHIP hovered around 1.2 for both 2022 and 2024, which, for a starting arm, wasn't a bad spot to be in.

Prior to his time as a Tiger, he played at San Diego for two years, where he bounced between a starter and a reliever. At 20 years old, he pitched a 4.70 ERA in 15 games played. However, his WHIP was a high 1.509.

His shift to the bullpen and improvements he made in his first year of minor league action, though, show that he has what it takes to continue growing as a pitcher. Now, as a member of Cleveland's system, he will get the chance to work with some of the league's most highly touted pitching coaches.

Moving Forward

The decision to move on from Rodríguez came as no surprise to those who have been following the Guardians closely this spring. They had countless other prospects step up and shine, with the Triple-A roster filling out really quickly.

Rodríguez just wasn't going to fit the organization's future, and if they kept him on the roster, he would've ended up blocking players who are on the path to make the big leagues in the next year or two.

Moving on from him allowed the organization to lean into the youth they had invested in all spring, while allowing Rodríguez to go and find a new home where he can get valuable time on the diamond. With Baltimore, he'll be able to reset, refresh and start over.

For Cleveland to get a prospect pitcher in return, it reinforces the front office's continued belief in youth, especially on the mound.

Rustad is somewhat an unknown, as he's only been in the scene of professional ball for a single campaign, but that'll be a good thing for the Guardians, as they'll be able to mold him into what they want him to become.

Cleveland has a great track record for turning pitchers into reliable big leaguers, with Rustad hoping to become the next example of such a reputation.