Julio Rodríguez (baseball)

Julio Yamel Rodríguez (born December 29, 2000) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder in the Seattle Mariners organization. Rodríguez signed with the Mariners at 16 years of age as an international free agent in 2017 for a signing bonus of $1.75 million. As of September 2019 he was the Mariners' # 2 prospect.

Julio Rodríguez
Seattle Mariners
Outfielder
Born: (2000-12-29) December 29, 2000
Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Rodriguez was born in Loma de Cabrera, a town of roughly 20,000 people, in the Dominican Republic.[1][2]

Career

Rodríguez signed with the Seattle Mariners at 16 years of age as an international free agent in July 2017 for a signing bonus of $1.75 million.[3][4][5] He made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Mariners in 2018,[6][7] playing primarily right field and batting .315/.404/.525 (7th in the league) with 50 runs, nine triples (tied for the league lead), five home runs, 36 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases without being caught in 219 at bats over 59 games.[8] He was over three years younger than the average player in both leagues.[9] He was named both a DSL mid-season All Star, and a Baseball America DSL All Star.[8]

Rodríguez started 2019 with the Class A West Virginia Power in the South Atlantic League.[10] He missed part of the season with a fractured left hand.[11][12] He was promoted to the Class A-Advanced Modesto Nuts in the California League in August, becoming one of only three 18-year-olds in all of minor league baseball to play High-A ball in 2019.[3][13] Over 328 at bats in 84 games between the two teams playing right field and center field, he slashed .326/.390/.540 with 63 runs, 26 doubles, 12 home runs and 69 RBIs, and was 10th in the South Atlantic League with a .490 slugging percentage.[14][8][15] He was named a California League Player of the Week on September 2, and an MiLB Organization All Star.[8] As of September he was the Mariners' # 2 prospect, and the # 25 prospect in baseball.[5][12]

He played in the Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Javelinas following the regular season, at 18 the youngest player in the AFL, and batted .288/.397/.365 in 52 at bats.[16][17][12] He was named an AFL Rising Star.[8]

References
  1. "Julio Rodriguez Player Card". The Baseball Cube. 2000-12-29. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  2. Trupin, John (2019-01-30). "Julio Rodriguez says he's not done learning". Lookout Landing. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  3. "Julio Rodríguez is one of the game's best prospects—and it's clear why". Marinersblog.mlblogs.com. 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  4. Preusser, Kate. "Julio Rodriguez wants to 'break baseball'". The Athletic.
  5. Glaser, Kyle (2019-09-04). "'He's A Monster': Julio Rodriguez Has The Attention Of Scouts, Fellow Players". Baseballamerica.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  6. Cotterill, T. J. "Julio Rodriguez Has That 'It' Factor". www.baseballamerica.com.
  7. "Rodriguez, 17, impresses Mariners on, off field". MLB.com.
  8. "Julio Rodriguez Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  9. R.J. Anderson (2019-09-27). "Seattle Mariners top prospect list 2020: Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez give the M's a pair of stud outfielders". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  10. Redd, Derek. "West Virginia Power outfielder Julio Rodriguez happy to be back on the diamond". Charleston Gazette-Mail.
  11. "Prized M's prospect Rodriguez out with fractured hand". HeraldNet.com. April 19, 2019.
  12. Johns, Greg (2019-10-19). "Mariners shut down prospect Julio Rodriguez". MLB.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  13. Glaser, Kyle. "'He's A Monster': Julio Rodriguez Has The Attention Of Scouts, Fellow Players". www.baseballamerica.com.
  14. Stone, Larry. "Larry Stone Column: Prospect Julio Rodriguez's talent, charisma can make a believer out of even cynical Mariner fans". Yakima Herald-Republic.
  15. "2019 South Atlantic League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  16. "Arizona Fall League rosters revealed". MLB.com.
  17. "Julio Rodriguez Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
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