{{Short description|Nicaraguan baseball player (born 1999)}} {{family name hatnote|Theophile|Cuthbert|lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name = Rodney Theophile |image = |team = Mississippi Mud Monsters |number = 34 |position = Pitcher |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|9|16}} |birth_place = Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua |bats = Right |throws = Right |debutleague = |debutdate = |debutyear = |debutteam = |statleague = |statyear = |stat1label = |stat1value = |stat2label = |stat2value = |stat3label = |stat3value = |teams = }} '''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 Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, in the city of Pearl Lagoon.<ref name="hernandez100417">{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name="garcia122717">{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> While training in the Dominican Republic, Theophile sharpened his curveball and improved the velocity of his fastball to top out above {{convert|90|mph}}.<ref name="hernandez100417"/><ref name="garcia122717"/>
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.<ref name="hernandez100417"/> However, the deal was never finalized and ultimately fell through.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Theophile, an admirer of Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, subsequently signed with Washington for a $20,000 bonus.<ref name="garcia122717"/> 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.<ref name="garcia122717"/>
Theophile made his professional debut for the Nationals' rookie-level affiliate, the Gulf Coast League Nationals, but struggled to an 0-4 record and 10.67 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 10 games. Theophile missed the entirety of the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Washington Nationals: A Flurry Of Prospect Promotions|url=https://districtondeck.com/2022/06/06/washington-nationals-a-flurry-of-prospect-promotions/|access-date=June 16, 2025|website=districtondeck.com|language=en}}</ref> He additionally did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=June 16, 2025|website=mlb.com|language=en}}</ref>
In 2021, Theophile was assigned to begin the season with the Low-A Fredericksburg Nationals,<ref>{{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}}</ref> where he compiled a 4-11 record and 5.56 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 89 innings pitched over 22 starts. In 2022, he pitched for Fredericksburg<ref>{{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}}</ref> and the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, accumulating a 6-8 record and 3.25 ERA with 110 strikeouts in {{fraction|102|1|3}} innings pitched across 24 games (21 starts).<ref>{{cite web | last=LoMonaco | first=Joey | title=Theophile's dominance earns a promotion from the FredNats | website=Fredericksburg.com | date=June 4, 2022| url=https://fredericksburg.com/sports/baseball/professional/theophiles-dominance-earns-a-promotion-from-the-frednats/article_6f6b7bfa-6fb7-53fd-a14f-2d0f2bc42519.html | access-date=2025-12-20}}</ref> Theophile made 10 appearances (nine starts) for Wilmington in 2023, logging an 0-3 record and 3.48 ERA with 39 strikeouts across {{fraction|41|1|3}} innings pitched.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rodney Theophile - Stats - Pitching|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/rodney-theophile/sa3008228/stats?position=P|access-date=June 16, 2025|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}</ref>
Theophile split the 2024 season between High-A Wilmington and the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, posting a cumulative 5-6 record and 3.53 ERA with 93 strikeouts in {{fraction|89|1|3}} innings pitched across 20 starts. He elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2024|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2024/|access-date=June 16, 2025|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}</ref>
===Mississippi Mud Monsters=== On March 6, 2025, Theophile signed with the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the Frontier League.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2025 Frontier League Transactions|url=https://www.frontierleague.com/transactions |access-date=April 15, 2025|website=frontierleague.com|language=en}}</ref> On July 8, he signed a contract extension with the team.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Frontier League Transactions|url=https://www.frontierleague.com/transactions|access-date=July 16, 2025|website=frontierleague.com|language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Theophile is a cousin of infielder Cheslor Cuthbert on his mother's side.<ref name="murillo122717">{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name="murillo122717"/> 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.<ref name="garcia122717"/><ref name="murillo122717"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|brm=theoph000rod}} {{Nicaragua roster 2023 World Baseball Classic}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theophile, Rodney}} Category:Living people Category:1999 births Category:Gulf Coast Nationals players Category:Fredericksburg Nationals players Category:Harrisburg Senators players Category:Nicaraguan expatriate baseball players in the United States Category:Wilmington Blue Rocks players Category:World Baseball Classic players of Nicaragua Category:2023 World Baseball Classic players