MLB writer projects this Padres prospect to make Opening Day roster

Is Bradgley Rodriguez ready to be a mainstay in Major League Baseball? The 22-year-old right-handed reliever made his big league debut in 2025 and he proved that he is only getting better.

His fastball sits in the upper-90s and he generates weak contact at a solid rate, so it's time to consider whether the San Diego Padres' No. 6 prospect is prepared to make the Opening Day roster. Joel Reuter seems to think so, and he is not wrong for believing that Rodriguez is the most MLB-ready prospect in San Diego's farm.

Padres' Bradgley Rodriguez has great chance to make 2026 Opening Day roster

In 88 games at the minor league level, Rodriguez owns a 3.52 ERA with 140 strikeouts in 122.2 innings. He was especially strong with Triple-A El Paso in 2025, generating five saves and a 6-0 record before finally getting called up to the Padres.

In his MLB debut, facing the Pirates on May 31, Rodriguez buried Oneil Cruz on a heater painted at his knees. He was MLB ready right out of the gate.

Rodriguez produced a 0.913 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 in seven relief outings with San Diego and ended the year on a five-appearance scoreless streak with eight punch-outs in 5.2 frames. It's safe to say that Rodriguez is too good for minor league ball, and his metrics back him up in regard that he belongs in the majors regularly.

With Jason Adam out to start the year, a slot is open for Rodriguez to grab, especially so if he performs in Spring Training. Who knows what Rodriguez's role would be, but with a bullpen that has Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, and Wandy Peralta, the pressure won't be on Rodriguez to immediately dominate. He'll have wiggle room to get comfortable to staying in The Show. He deserves that roster spot, so we'll see if he actually receives it.