John Rodriguez
| AB | 332 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .298 |
| OBP | .378 |
| SLG | .434 |
| HR | 7 |
- Full name John Joseph Rodriguez
- Born 01/20/1978 in New York, NY
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Louis D. Brandeis
- Debut 07/18/2005
- Drafted in the 16th round (425th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 1995.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Yankees' big budget didn't have anything to do with landing Rodriguez. It was more a credit to Bronx area scout Cesar Presbott, who got a tip and signed the nondrafted free agent for $1,000 after a tryout at Yankee Stadium. Rodriguez attracted little attention outside the organization until last season, when he emerged as a legitimate power-hitting prospect. He has outstanding bat speed and hit 22 homers last year despite playing his home games at Norwich's cavernous Dodd Memorial Stadium. Rodriguez is an aggressive hitter who needs to gain a better understanding of the strike zone and learn to lay off bad pitches. He made progress on cutting down his swing last year and showed much improved defensive skills. With Juan Rivera and Marcus Thames ahead of him on the depth chart, plus the Yankees' preference for veterans, Rodriguez' future in the organization is uncertain. He'll spend 2002 in Triple-A and could serve as a lefthanded option off the bench in New York if needed.
