<
        >

          MLB Draft Blog

          EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
          Get ESPN+

          Carlos Rodon worthy of No. 1 hype

          Lefty Carlos Rodon is the likely No. 1 overall pick in next year's MLB draft. Liz Condo/USA TODAY Sports
          Jul 24, 2013
          • Keith LawESPN Senior Writer
            Close
            • Senior baseball analyst for Insider
            • Was special asst. to Blue Jays GM
            • Wrote for Baseball Prospectus
            Follow on Twitter

          CARY, N.C. -- My trip to North Carolina to see the U.S. collegiate national team play the Cuban national team for two games was mostly built around one man -- NC State lefty Carlos Rodon, the heavy favorite to be the first overall pick in next year's Rule 4 draft. Rodon threw on Tuesday night and more than lived up to expectations.