Biography

BIOGRAPHY

Manuel Rodríguez was born July 4, 1997, in Sparta, Tennessee. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Roberts attended White County High School in Sparta, Tennessee, and played college baseball at Tennessee Technological University. As a junior at Tennessee Tech in 2018, he went 6–1 with a 2.41 ERA and 14 saves over 71 innings pitched. Following the season's end, he was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the fourth round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.

Roberts signed with the Cubs and made his professional debut with the Eugene Emeralds, posting a 5.40 ERA over 15 innings. In 2019, he began the year with the South Bend Cubs before being promoted to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Over 59 relief innings between the two clubs, Roberts went 4–5 with a 2.59 ERA, 13 saves, and 54 strikeouts. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Roberts began the 2021 season with the Tennessee Smokies and was promoted to the Iowa Cubs in early August. Over 39 relief appearances between the two clubs, Roberts went 4–2 with a 3.00 ERA and 72 strikeouts over 54 innings.