Wikipedia

Julio Rodríguez

(Redirected from Julio Rodríguez (baseball))
For other uses, see Julio Rodríguez (disambiguation).

Julio Yarnel Rodríguez Jr. (born December 29, 2000), nicknamed "J-Rod", is a Dominican professional baseball center fielder for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He signed with the Mariners as an international free agent in 2017 and made his MLB debut in 2022. In his rookie season, he was named an All-Star along with winning the Silver Slugger Award and American League Rookie of the Year Award.

Julio Rodríguez
Rodríguez with Leones del Escogido in 2020
Seattle Mariners – No. 44
Center fielder
Born: (2000-12-29) December 29, 2000 (age 23)
Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 8, 2022, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.277
Home runs80
Runs batted in246
Stolen bases86
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Dominican Republic
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Team

Early life

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Rodríguez was born and raised in Loma de Cabrera, a town of 20,000 people in the Dominican Republic.[1] His father was an agricultural engineer, his mother was a dentist, and he has three siblings.[2] At ten years old, he began competing in a local baseball league with children three to four years older than himself.[3] His father, Julio Sr., began coaching him at 12 years old, training him to play catcher because of his build. When he had a growth spurt the following year, he moved to the outfield.[4] He first caught the attention of scouts when, at only 12 years old, he hit a ball to the outfield wall against a hard-throwing 17-year-old pitcher in a local tournament.[3]

Professional career

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Minor leagues

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Rodríguez signed as an international free agent with the Seattle Mariners as a 16 year old in July 2017, receiving a $1.75 million signing bonus.[5][6][7] He made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Mariners in 2018,[8][9] playing primarily right field and batting .315/.404/.525 with 50 runs, nine triples (tied for the league lead), five home runs, 36 RBI, and 10 stolen bases without being caught in 59 games.[10] He was named both a DSL mid-season All-Star and a Baseball America DSL All-Star.[10]

Rodríguez started 2019 with the Class A West Virginia Power in the South Atlantic League.[11] He missed part of the season with a fractured left hand.[12][13] 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.[5][7] He was more than three years younger than the average player in both leagues.[14]

Rodríguez played in the Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Javelinas after the regular season. As the youngest player in the league at 18, he hit .288/.397/.365 in 63 plate appearances.[15][16][13] He was named an AFL Rising Star.[10]

In 2020, with the minor league season canceled, Rodríguez was ticketed for the Mariners alternate training site in Tacoma, but he broke his left wrist during a workout in July. He later participated in the fall instructional league in Arizona.[17]

Rodríguez started 2021 with the Everett AquaSox. In June, he was promoted to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers.[18] Rodríguez was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game.[19] In August 2021, he was ranked as the best Mariners prospect and the second-best prospect by MLB.com.[20] He missed almost a month of the minor league season due to his participation in the Summer Olympics. In 74 games in 2021, Rodríguez hit .347/.441/.560 with 13 home runs and 21 stolen bases.[18] The Mariners added him to their 40-man roster in November 2021 to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[21] After the 2021 season, he was a consensus top 3 prospect.[16]

Seattle Mariners

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2022 season: Rookie of the Year

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Rodríguez made his major league debut on Opening Day, April 8, 2022,[22] as the starting center fielder against the Minnesota Twins.[23] After starting the season 1-for-21 with 12 strikeouts, Rodríguez took off.[4] On May 1, Rodríguez hit his first career home run, a three-run shot off Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara.[24] He was named American League (AL) Rookie of the Month consecutively for May and June. In June, he played 29 games, scored 22 runs, and hit .280/.361/.542 with seven home runs, 16 RBI, and five stolen bases.[25] Rodríguez kept up his great performance in July, during a stretch in which the Mariners won 14 consecutive games and jumped into playoff discussions. On July 15, he hit his first career grand slam to put a game against the Texas Rangers out of reach. In July, he played 19 games, scored 12 runs, and hit .267/.337/.547 with five home runs, 18 RBI, and two steals.[26] He did not win Rookie of the Month in July, which went to Jose Miranda.[27]

Rodríguez was selected to the 2022 MLB All-Star Game roster, the sixth Mariner rookie to do so.[28] Rodríguez also participated in the Home Run Derby, where he hit 81 home runs across three rounds, besting Corey Seager and Pete Alonso before losing in the final round to Juan Soto.[29] On August 23, Rodríguez hit his 20th home run, making him the sixth player in Seattle Mariners history to join the 20–20 club and the fourth player in MLB history to have 20 homers and 20 steals in their first MLB season.[30] On September 14, he became the first player to join the 25–25 club in his debut season.[31] September was Rodríguez's best month, as he hit .394 with 7 home runs in 19 games.[32]

In 2022, Rodríguez batted .284/.345/.509 with 84 runs, 28 home runs, 75 RBI, 25 steals (fifth), and 140 strikeouts in 511 at-bats, while leading AL outfielders in both range factor per 9 innings (2.88) and errors (6).[33] At 21 years of age, he was the youngest qualified batter in major league baseball.[34] Rodríguez won the Silver Slugger Award[35] and the AL Rookie of the Year Award.[36]

Postseason
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Rodríguez led the Mariners to their first postseason appearance since 2001, at the time the longest active playoff drought amongst the four major North American sports leagues.[37] He led off all five Mariners postseason games, collecting five hits, three walks, and two hit by pitches in 28 plate appearances.[38] He was hit by an Alek Manoah pitch to lead off Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, coming around to score the first run of a 4–0 win. Manoah hit Rodríguez again in the fifth inning of that game.[39] Only five other players have been hit twice during a Wild Card game.[40][41]

Rodríguez's best game in October was Game 1 of the American League Division Series, when he hit a triple and a double, scoring three times in a loss to the Houston Astros.[42][43][44] In Game 3, he made two difficult catches to prevent the Astros from scoring but was only 1-for-7 and made the final out in Seattle's 18-inning loss.[45][46][47]

Contract extension
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On August 26, Rodríguez signed a long-term contract extension with Seattle.[48] The contract lasts at least 8 years and, depending a team option in 2028 and a potential player option in 2030, that could last up to 14 years and be worth $470 million. Rodríguez's minimum earnings on the contract are $209 million, though he could opt out in 2030 if the team declines its option. The contract includes a no-trade clause and bonuses for winning awards. It boosted his 2023 salary from a minimum of $720,000 to $21 million, including a signing bonus.[49]

2023: All-Star

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On April 7, 2023, Rodríguez hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians. With this home run, Rodríguez became the fastest player in Mariners history to 30 home runs, doing so in 140 games.[50] On July 10, Rodríguez hit 41 homers in the first round of the Home Run Derby against Pete Alonso, breaking the Derby record for most home runs in a single round.

In August, Rodríguez went on a tear at the plate that equaled or surpassed marks not achieved since the early 20th century. From August 16 to 19, Rodríguez broke the MLB record for most hits in a four-game span with 17, the most since at least 1901. During those four games, Rodríguez went 17-for-22, hit 2 home runs, recorded 8 RBIs, and stole 5 bases. He had 28 hits in 10 games, a number not reached since Kenny Lofton in 1997, and during that stretch had 5 four-hit games, a feat not recorded as having happened since 1900. He had 5 four-hit games during August; only Ty Cobb, with 6 in 1921, had more in a month.[51]

In early September, he became the first player in MLB history to hit 25 home runs and steal 25 bases in his first two seasons.[52] On September 11, Rodríguez hit his 30th home run of the season, making him the 44th player to join MLB's 30–30 club.[53]

In 2023, Rodríguez batted .275/.333/.485 with 32 home runs and 37 stolen bases and led the AL with 29 infield hits.[54] He won his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award[55] and was a finalist for the AL Gold Glove Award in center field.[56] He finished fourth place in the AL Most Valuable Player voting.[57]

2024

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Rodríguez had his worst offensive season in 2024, batting .273/.325/.409 with 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. In 2024, he and Bobby Witt Jr. became the first two players to have 20 home runs and 20 steals in the first three seasons of their MLB career.[58][59]

International career

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Rodríguez played for the Dominican Republic national team in the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Rodríguez also played in two qualifying tournaments before the 2020 Olympics. He hit 11-for-24 in the Americas qualifying tournament, with two home runs in a game against Venezuela.[60][61] He was 1-for-10 as the Dominicans won all three games of the final qualifying tournament.[62]

He was one of the top hitters at the Olympics, held in Tokyo in 2021. He hit .417 with a 1.069 on-base plus slugging in 6 games, tying for third in total bases in the tournament.[63] In the bronze medal game, he hit a two-run home run in the first inning, adding a double, walk, and hit-by-pitch to help defeat South Korea 10–6 and win his country's first medal in baseball.[64] After the game, Rodríguez said, "We as Dominicans are characterized by baseball. So being here right now is very special, being able to win a medal for the country… It really means the world to me."[65]

Rodríguez and his country were not as successful against stiffer competition in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In four games, he went 5-for-18 with one double[66] and nine strikeouts.[67] He managed just one single and three strikeouts as the Dominican Republic lost an elimination game against Puerto Rico on March 15.[68] In that game, he misplayed a line drive hit by Francisco Lindor,[69] allowing Lindor to score on the play, but later got an outfield assist, throwing out Kiké Hernandez at third base from deep right field.[70]

Personal life

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Rodríguez says he's motivated by anime. In his childhood, he would run home from school to watch Naruto. As a rookie, Rodríguez wore a chain featuring title character Naruto Uzumaki on the reverse as a reminder to never give up and "always see the bright side of things."[4]

Rodríguez began dating Canadian professional soccer player and fellow 2020 Olympic medalist Jordyn Huitema in November 2022.[71]

In January 2023, Rodríguez donated an ambulance to his hometown's civil defense headquarters. Prior to his donation, Loma de Cabrera did not have an ambulance for emergencies. He also gave baseball equipment and toys to the children in his hometown.[72]

Awards and accolades

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Trupin, John (January 30, 2019). "Julio Rodriguez says he's not done learning". Lookout Landing. Archived from the original on July 16, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  2. ^ Crasnick, Jerry. "Julio Rodriguez". MLBPA Players. MLBPA. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Torres, Maria; Brock, Corey (October 4, 2022). "How Mariners' rookie Julio Rodríguez became the new king of Seattle". The Athletic. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Gonzalez, Alden (November 14, 2022). "'Bet on me': How rookie Julio Rodriguez became the Mariners' $470 million man". ESPN.com. ESPN. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Julio Rodríguez is one of the game's best prospects—and it's clear why". Marinersblog.mlblogs.com. December 10, 2019. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  6. ^ Preusser, Kate. "Julio Rodriguez wants to 'break baseball'". The Athletic. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Glaser, Kyle (September 4, 2019). "'He's A Monster': Julio Rodriguez Has The Attention Of Scouts, Fellow Players". Baseballamerica.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
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  10. ^ a b c "Julio Rodriguez Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  11. ^ Redd, Derek (June 11, 2019). "West Virginia Power outfielder Julio Rodriguez happy to be back on the diamond". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
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  44. ^ "Rodríguez launches a two-run double to right-center | 10/11/2022". MLB.com. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
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  56. ^ Harrigan, Thomas; Adler, David (November 5, 2023). "2023 Gold Glove Awards finalists". MLB.com. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  57. ^ Divish, Ryan (November 16, 2023). "Mariners' Julio Rodriguez finishes 4th in AL MVP; Ohtani wins unanimously". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  58. ^ @BRWalkoff (September 25, 2024). "Julio Rodríguez becomes just the 2ND player in MLB history to go 20/20 in each of his first three seasons 🔱" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  59. ^ Sarah Langs [@SlangsOnSports] (August 2, 2024). "Bobby Witt Jr. is the first player with 20+ HR & 20+ SB in each of his first 3 MLB seasons" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  60. ^ "World Baseball Softball Confederation". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  61. ^ WBSC (March 24, 2024). 🇩🇴⚾ Julio Rodríguez being Julio Rodriguez back in 2021 at the Olympic Qualifiers. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via YouTube.
  62. ^ "World Baseball Softball Confederation". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  63. ^ "Stats 2021 Baseball Olympic Games". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
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  65. ^ "Dominican Republic wins its first-ever Olympic medal in baseball, team sport". World Baseball Softball Confederation. August 7, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  66. ^ "Julio Rodríguez chops a double over third for two RBI | 03/14/2023". MLB.com. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  67. ^ "World Baseball Classic: Stats: Dominican Republic". MLB.com. 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  68. ^ "MLB Gameday: Puerto Rico 5, Dominican Rep. 2 Final Score (03/15/2023)". MLB.com. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  69. ^ "Lindor knocks a Little League home run to center | 03/15/2023". MLB.com. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  70. ^ "Rodríguez makes diving grab after fielding error | 03/15/2023". MLB.com. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  71. ^ Nightengale, Bob (February 28, 2023). "Julio Rodriguez, Dansby Swanson share their love of soccer through their significant others". USA Today. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  72. ^ Randhawa, Manny (January 6, 2023). "J-Rod gifts toys, baseball items, ambulance(!) to hometown". MLB.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by American League Player of the Month
August 2023 		Succeeded by
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