Rodney Theophile
{{Short description|Nicaraguan baseball player}}
{{family name hatnote|Theophile|Cuthbert|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Rodney Theophile
|image =
|team = Mississippi Mud Monsters
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|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|9|16}}
|birth_place = Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
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Rodney Darien Theophile Cuthbert (born September 16, 1999) is a Nicaraguan professional baseball pitcher for the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the Frontier League.
Career
=Washington Nationals=
Theophile grew up on the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua, in the town of Pearl Lagoon.{{cite news|url=https://www.laprensa.com.ni/2017/10/04/deportes/2308360-prospecto-costeno-rodney-theophile-firma-los-gigantes-san-francisco|title=Prospecto costeño Rodney Theophile firma con los Gigantes de San Francisco|language=es|date=October 4, 2017|access-date=June 27, 2018|first=Gerald|last=Hernández|work=La Prensa}} He began playing baseball at age 12. Originally a first baseman, Theophile was discovered by professional baseball scout Alex Mongrío, who recognized his potential as a pitcher.{{cite news|url=https://www.laprensa.com.ni/2017/12/27/deportes/2351993-rodney-theophile-el-nuevo-jugador-de-los-nacionales-que-quiere-ser-max-scherzer|work=La Prensa|title=Rodney Theophile, el nuevo jugador de los Nacionales que quiere ser Max Scherzer|language=es|date=December 27, 2017|access-date=June 27, 2018|first=German|last=García}} In 2015, Theophile traveled to the Dominican Republic to train at the MVP Rivera Sport Academy. He participated in an international showcase for Major League Baseball organizations in early 2016 in the Dominican Republic—the only Nicaraguan prospect at that showcase, El Nuevo Diario reported at the time.{{cite news|url=https://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/deportes/384861-theophile-se-luce-republica-dominicana/|work=El Nuevo Diario|title=Theophile se luce en República Dominicana|language=es|first=Harold|last=Briceño Tórrez|date=February 12, 2016|access-date=June 27, 2018}} While training in the Dominican Republic, Theophile sharpened his curveball and improved the velocity of his fastball to top out above {{convert|90|mph}}.
The San Francisco Giants expressed interest in Theophile, reportedly signing him as an international amateur free agent in 2017, shortly after Theophile's 18th birthday. However, the deal was never finalized and ultimately fell through.{{cite news|url=https://nuevaya.com.ni/nica-rodney-theophile-cuthbert-firma-con-los-nacionales-de-washington/|title=Nica Rodney Theophile Cuthbert firma con los nacionales de Washington|agency=La Nueva Radio Ya|language=es|date=December 21, 2017|access-date=June 27, 2018}} Theophile, an admirer of Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, subsequently signed with Washington for a $20,000 bonus. At the time he signed with the Nationals, Theophile was listed at {{convert|6|feet|5|inch}} and topped out at a reported {{convert|94|mph}} on his fastball, with a Nationals scout telling La Prensa he expected Theophile to further increase his velocity during the course of his development.
Theophile made his professional debut with the Nationals' Gulf Coast League affiliate in July 2018. Theophile underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the 2019 season, and the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Theophile was assigned to begin the season with the Low-A Fredericksburg Nationals.{{cite news|url=https://www.facebook.com/1991183174513140/posts/2623515487946569/|agency=NicaBeis|access-date=May 8, 2021|title=Rodney Theophile listo para Clase A Baja|date=May 3, 2021}} In 2022, he pitched for Fredericksburg{{cite news |title=Starter Rodney Theophile is dominating for Nationals' low-A affiliate |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/05/17/nationals-minor-leaguer-rodney-theophile/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2022-05-17 |last1=Dougherty |first1=Jesse}} and the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks.{{cite web | url=https://fredericksburg.com/sports/baseball/professional/theophiles-dominance-earns-a-promotion-from-the-frednats/article_6f6b7bfa-6fb7-53fd-a14f-2d0f2bc42519.html | title=Theophile's dominance earns a promotion from the FredNats | date=4 June 2022 }}
In 2024, Theophile split his time between High-A Wilmington and the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, amassing a 3.53 ERA. On November 4, 2024, he elected free agency.
=Mississippi Mud Monsters=
On March 6, 2025, Theophile signed with the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the Frontier League.{{Cite web|title=2025 Frontier League Transactions|url=https://www.frontierleague.com/transactions |access-date=April 15, 2025|website=frontierleague.com|language=en}}
Personal life
Theophile is a cousin of infielder Cheslor Cuthbert on his mother's side.{{cite news|url=https://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/deportes/450786-cuthbert-llanto-sonrisa/|work=El Nuevo Diario|title=Cuthbert, del llanto a la sonrisa|date=December 27, 2017|access-date=June 28, 2018|first=Haxel|last=Rubén Murillo}} His parents separated when he was 8 years old. His father instilled in him an interest in baseball, taking him to games when he was a boy, while his mother, a former member of the Nicaragua women's national basketball team, preferred that he take up basketball instead. Theophile's father died of a heart attack in 2016, at age 39, while Theophile was abroad for training in Panama and the Dominican Republic.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|brm=theoph000rod}}
{{Nicaragua roster 2023 World Baseball Classic}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theophile, Rodney}}
Category:Nicaraguan baseball players
Category:Gulf Coast Nationals players
Category:Fredericksburg Nationals players