Florida Gators

Steven "Paco" Rodriguez is in his first season as a student assistant coach for the Gators.

Over his three-year playing career with the Gators from 2010-12, Rodriguez compiled a record of 9-4, totaled seven saves in 86 appearances (10th on the school’s career list); he also made two starts. At the time of his departure, Rodriguez’s career ERA of 2.19 was the lowest by a Gators pitcher since aluminum bats were introduced in 1974, and his total of 10.64 strikeouts per nine innings also ranked No. 1 in school history. His ERA school record stood until 2018, when Michael Byrne finished with a 1.88 ERA, and his strikeouts per nine innings figure held up until 2016 and 2017, when A.J. Puk and Alex Faedo had career averages of 11.64 and 10.84, respectively.

Rodriguez notched 151 strikeouts and allowed just 30 walks in 127.2 innings, while holding opponents to a .227 performance, a figure which was tied for eighth-lowest on the school record list at the conclusion of his collegiate career.

As a junior in 2012, Rodriguez earned All-American recognition from Perfect Game and collected All-SEC First Team honors.

Rodriguez was selected in the second round (and No. 82 overall pick) of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The left-hander made his major league debut Sept. 9, 2012, just days after being called up to the bigs.

In four seasons with the Dodgers, Rodriguez made 124 appearances and posted a 2.53 earned run average. He logged 20 holds in 76 appearances during the 2013 season.

Rodriguez's Gators Career

As a Junior (2012): Tabbed an All-American by Perfect Game for the first time in his career, Rodriguez was a first-team All-SEC pick to become the first Gator reliever to earn All-SEC accolades since Kevin Chapman was recognized in 2010… The left-hander had a 3-2 record in 34 appearances and paced UF’s pitching corps with 81 strikeouts in 62 innings… Registered a 2.18 ERA, notched four saves and limited opponents to a .211 batting average… Racked up 47 strikeouts and issued eight walks in 34.1 innings of work during league play and preserved both wins at third-ranked Kentucky...The southpaw worked 3.1 innings of one-run ball during the winner’s bracket game of the NCAA Gainesville Regional to preserve the 6-2 victory over No. 24 Georgia Tech… Hurled 3.1 innings at the SEC Tournament without surrendering any runs: 1.2 IP versus Vanderbilt and 1.2 IP against Auburn… Totaled seven strikeouts and did not permit any runs in two innings spanning four innings in the Mississippi State series… Had a stretch of eight-straight scoreless appearances between April 22-May 19… Registered two K in the eighth inning as the Gators edged No. 17 Arkansas, 3-2, to open the series… Had four strikeouts and gave up one run over three frames during the 16-inning triumph over Georgia… Struck out four of the five batters he faced at No. 1 Florida State… Matched a season high with a four-inning outing in the finale with No. 7 LSU and totaled five strikeouts… Notched a season-high six K over four innings in game three at No. 16 Ole Miss… Threw three perfect innings and had a pair of strikeouts during the 9-2 triumph over No. 6 FSU at McKethan Stadium… .Earned the win over Florida Gulf Coast on March 9 when Mike Zunino snapped a 2-2 tie with a two-run homer in the eighth inning… Totaled four strikeouts in the series-clinching victory at No. 8 Miami (Fla.)… Claimed the second meeting with William & Mary with four strikeouts over 3.1 innings… Fired 2.1 scoreless innings and had 3 K to pick up the win over No. 16 Cal State Fullerton on opening night.

As a Sophomore (2011): Boasted a 4-2 mark with a 1.91 ERA in 32 appearances, including one start… Registered 44 strikeouts and allowed 12 walks in 37.2 innings… Notched a pair of saves and was part of three shutouts… Was 1-0 in 11 SEC appearances spanning 11.1 innings and had a 0.79 ERA… Tied for the team lead with six appearances during the NCAA Tournament, when he was 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA and totaled 11 K in 8.1 innings… Participated in both games of the CWS Championship Finals against South Carolina (1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 K)… Turned in a heroic effort in the winner’s bracket game versus Vanderbilt in Omaha… Took over on the mound in the fifth inning on Monday before the contest was halted because of weather issues, came back on Tuesday morning and went the rest of the way to pick up the win… Over a season-high 4.1 scoreless and hitless innings, the southpaw registered a career-high seven strikeouts and permitted one walk...Retired 13 of the 14 batters he faced, including the final eight in a row, and concluded the contest with back-to-back strikeouts… Threw two scoreless innings in the Regional final against Miami (Fla.)… Struck out four Vanderbilt hitters over 1.1 innings in the 12-inning marathon contest and also snared an infield fly while he was playing first base… Had a stretch of eight-consecutive appearances without allowing any runs between March 27-May 1… Had a couple of scoreless outings during the Alabama series… Preserved the series-opening victory at Georgia with a game-ending strikeout to help UF prevail, 5-4… Collected the win in the rubber game against Mississippi State by going 1.2 innings with three K and zero hits...Lone start of the year came against Winthrop, when he worked 3.1 innings and earned the decision while working on a pitch count… Fired three shutout innings and had three K in 4-0 win over Boston College to pick up a save… Season debut was a 1.1-inning stint in which he had one strikeout and permitted one hit as the Gators completed a sweep of USF.

As a Freshman (2010): Made 20 appearances in his first collegiate season and was 2-0 with one save and a 2.57 ERA… Struck out 26 batters in 28 innings of work and held opponents to a .259 batting average… Leadoff batters were just 4-for-25 (.160) against him and he limited foes to a .204 (10-for-49) clip with runners on base… Earned the victory over Miami (Fla.) that put the Gators in the NCAA College World Series… That was part of a stretch of six-consecutive appearances in which he did not allow any runs… Collected his first career save with two scoreless innings in the 5-2 win over Vanderbilt that kept Florida alive at the SEC Tournament… Retired both LSU batters he faced in the first round of the SEC Tourney… Was the winning pitcher at South Carolina on May 21, when UF clinched the SEC title… Rodriguez totaled three strikeouts over 1.1 scoreless frames before turning the game over to Greg Larson and Kevin Chapman… Had been summoned from the bullpen in the seventh inning of the opener at Columbia and registered three outs after inheriting a base-runner...Worked 1.2 innings with three K in the 4-3 nail-biter over Georgia that Ben McMahan won with a walk-off homer… Made lone start of the campaign against Florida Atlantic and gave up four hits and three runs over two innings… Delivered a season-high five scoreless frames out of the bullpen in the finale at Kentucky, with a career-high five strikeouts… Came through with four shutout innings in the third meeting with Charleston Southern… Had two strikeouts in one inning of work during his collegiate debut versus USF on Feb. 21.

High School: Left-handed pitcher from Gulliver Prep who played for head coach Javi Rodriguez… Chosen by the Houston Astros in the 48th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft with the 1,451st selection… Ranked as the No. 5 LHP in the state of Florida according to Prospectswire.com… Earned first-team all-state recognition in Class 3A and was chosen All-Area South Florida by ESPN Rise Magazine… First-team honoree on the Miami Herald’s All-Dade Team… Gulliver Prep advanced to the Class 3A Regional Finals before falling to American Heritage, the eventual state runner-up… Participated in the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field in August 2008… Joined Gator teammates Nolan Fontana and Austin Maddox on the 2007 16-U USA National Team that captured the World Youth Championship in Venezuela… Made three appearances and struck out 12 batters in eight innings as the squad was 6-0 in the tournament.

Rodriguez's Collegiate Statistics

Overall Season Statistics

YEAR	ERA	W	L	APP	GS	CG	SHO	CBO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
2010	2.57	2	0	20	1	0	0	1	1	28.0	28	9	8	5	26
2011	1.91	4	2	32	1	0	0	3	2	37.2	31	13	8	12	44
2012	2.18	3	2	34	0	0	0	1	4	62.0	49	17	15	13	81
CAREER	2.19	9	4	86	2	0	0	5	7	127.2	108	39	31	30	151

SEC Regular-Season Statistics

YEAR	ERA	W	L	APP	GS	CG	SHO	CBO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
2010	2.38	1	0	8	0	0	0	0	0	11.1	11	3	3	3	13
2011	0.79	1	0	11	0	0	0	0	1	11.1	8	2	1	2	18
2012	2.36	0	2	18	0	0	0	1	3	34.1	30	9	9	8	47
CAREER	2.05	2	2	37	0	0	0	1	4	57.0	49	14	13	13	78

SEC Tournament Statistics

YEAR	ERA	W	L	APP	GS	CG	SHO	CBO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
2010	0.00	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	2.2	1	0	0	0	0
2011	0.00	1	0	3	0	0	0	1	0	2.1	1	0	0	1	1
2012	0.00	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	3.1	1	0	0	1	3
CAREER	0.00	1	0	7	0	0	0	1	1	8.1	3	0	0	2	4

NCAA Tournament Statistics

YEAR	ERA	W	L	APP	GS	CG	SHO	CBO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
2010	10.80	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1.2	3	2	2	1	2
2011	3.24	1	1	6	0	0	0	0	0	8.1	7	3	3	2	11
2012	3.86	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	1	4.2	8	3	2	0	4
CAREER	4.30	2	1	11	0	0	0	0	1	14.2	18	8	7	3	17

Rodriguez's Collegiate Career Highs
Innings (Starter): 3.1 vs. Winthrop (3/22/11)
Innings (Reliever): 5.0 vs. Kentucky (4/18/10)
Strikeouts: 7 vs. Vanderbilt (6/20/11)
Hits Allowed: 5, 2x, last vs. LSU (4/7/12)
Runs: 3, 4x, last vs. Auburn (5/19/12)
Earned Runs: 3, 2x, last vs. Auburn (5/19/12)
Walks: 2, 5x, last vs. Mississippi State (5/13/12)