Former Tigers top prospect from Justin Upton trade lands with Brewers

Drew Koch

Detroit Tigers pitcher Evan Rodriguez / Adam Hunger/GettyImages

Elvin Rodriguez, whom the Detroit Tigers acquired from the Los Angeles Angels back in 2017, has agreed to a major-league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers after spending two years overseas playing in Japan. Rodriguez came to Detroit by way of the Justin Upton trade several years ago.

It's been awhile now, but most Tigers fans will remember that Upton used to patrol the outfield at Comerica Park. The four-time All-Star suited up for the Tigers beginning in 2016 after signing a massive six-year, $132 million deal during the offseason.

Upton made the All-Star team as a member of the Tigers in 2017, but shortly after the Midsummer Classic the outfielder was part of a huge trade with the Angels. Upton landed in Anaheim after being swapped for Grayson Long and the infamous player to be named later.

Former Tigers top prospect Elvin Rodriguez from Justin Upton trade lands with Brewers

That player turned out to be Rodriguez; a right-handed pitcher signed by the Angels during the international signing period in 2014. Rodriguez put up some solid numbers in 2018 and 2019, but of course missed out on the 2020 minor league season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rodriguez finally broke through and was added to the Tigers 40-man roster during the 2021-22 offseason. The right-hander even found a spot on the Tigers 2022 Opening Day roster. Unfortunately, like so many players, his success in the minor leagues didn't translate to the majors. Rodriguez appeared in just seven games in 2022, and went 0-4 with an inflated 10.62 ERA and 1.921 WHIP.

The Brewers have signed right-handed pitcher Elvin Rodriguez to a major-league contract. Rodriguez pitched in Japan last year and had a 1.74 ERA in 88 innings. His fastball gets major carry in the zone -- led MLB in induced vertical break in 2023 in a small sample.
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) January 17, 2025

When the non-tender deadline came around that winter, Rodriguez was outrighted off the Tigers 40-man roster and elected free agency. He landed with the Tampa Bay Rays and made just one appearance in the big leagues in 2023. Surprisingly, after a perfect relief outing in July, Rodriguez was DFA'd by Tampa Bay and agreed to a hefty deal with the Yakult Swallows of the NPB.

Rodriguez's reported deal with the Brew Crew includes a team option for 2026. The Brewers organization has a tremendous reputation for developing pitchers, so it'll be intriguing to see if the former Tigers prospect can find his footing this season.

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Drew Koch

Drew Koch has been an MLB Staff Writer since January 2024 and part of the FanSided Network since June 2018. Drew's contributions have been published on Blog Red Machine, Friars on Base, BoSox Injection, Lombardi Avenue, Wildcat Blue Nation, Motor City Bengals, and many other sites within the FanSided Network. When he's not cheering wildly for the Cincinnati Reds or the Kentucky Wildcats, Drew enjoys fishing, golfing, playing cribbage and other card games, listening to country and classical music, and spending time with his family and friends.