Nellie Rodriguez

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #25 prospect in 2017
  Rodriguez played for Washington High in the Bronx, the same program that produced Manny Ramirez, whom the Indians drafted 21 years before snagging Rodriguez in 2012. He has shown impressive power as a professional, twice leading his league in home runs. He hit 26 at Double-A Akron in 2016, good for third in the Eastern League and among all Indians minor leaguers. Rodriguez produces plenty of raw power and does a good job of getting to it in games. His approach does come with a lot of swing-and-miss and his strikeout rate has gone up for three straight seasons, peaking at 32 percent in 2016. His approach has improved as a professional, however, and he knows how to work a walk. Rodriguez is a bottom-of-the-scale runner and has below-average arm strength, limiting him to first base, where he is an adequate defender. Righthanded-hitting first baseman make for a tough profile, but his power gives him a chance to buck the trend. Rodriguez will advance to Triple-A Columbus in 2016, staying one rung ahead of fast-rising fellow first baseman Bobby Bradley.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #18 prospect in 2016
  Twenty-one years after the Indians drafted Manny Ramirez, the club picked Rodriguez out of the same Washington High program in the Bronx. Rodriguez has shown off impressive power in pro ball. He led the Carolina League with 17 home runs in 2015, a season after tying for the low Class A Midwest League crown with 22 homers. Rodriguez produces plenty of raw power and does a good job of getting to it in games. While his pop comes with a large dose of strikeouts, his approach has improved in the minors. He's willing to take a walk, and looks to hit the ball the other way more often. Rodriguez is a bottom-of-the- scale runner and has below-average arm strength, limiting him to first base, where he is an adequate defender. Righthanded-hitting first basemen can make for a tough profile, but Rodriguez's power gives him a chance to become an everyday player in the big leagues. After finishing 2015 at Double-A Akron, he'll return there in 2016 and stay one rung ahead of fast-rising fellow first baseman Bobby Bradley.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #19 prospect in 2015
  The Indians may have pushed Rodriguez too much when they sent him to Lake County in 2013 for his first full season, but he punished Midwest League pitchers in his encore, tying for the league home run title (22) and leading it in extra-base hits (57). Rodriguez is cut from the same cloth as Jesus Aguilar as a hulking righthanded-hitting first baseman. His swing doesn't always look picturesque, but he has a fine bat path and he can cover all parts of the plate. He has plenty of bat speed and raw power. Rodriguez piled up his share of strikeouts but was willing to take his walks as well. The onus will be on his bat to carry him. He has worked hard on his conditioning and could be an average defender, but that will never be his calling card. Rodriguez will move up to high Class A Lynchburg in 2015.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #27 prospect in 2014
  An alum of George Washington High, the same New York high school that produced Manny Ramirez, Rodriguez signed for $100,000 in the 15th round in 2012. He did some catching as an amateur but quickly converted to first base full-time after signing. Rodriguez garners comparisons with Jesus Aguilar and faces the same challenges as a hefty, righthanded-hitting first baseman. He struggled to handle low Class A Lake County early in 2013 but rebounded to lead short-season Mahoning Valley with nine home runs. Nicknamed "Rhino," Rodriguez has plenty of raw power and the bat speed and strength to get around on good fastballs, though there's some length to his swing as well. His approach improved over the course of the season as he stopped trying to pull everything. The team was encouraged with his ability to hit breaking pitches the other way, and he also showed a willingness to take his walks once teams started pitching around him. Rodriguez impressed with his work ethic and intelligence, and he'll return to Lake County for another go in 2014.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Carolina League #17 prospect in 2015
  Rodriguez, a righthanded-hitting first baseman, did exactly what he had to do to leave the Carolina League as soon as possible: He mashed. He led the league in homers (17), RBIs (84) and slugging (.495) before being promoted to Double-A Akron in mid-August. Rodriguez doesn't just punish fastballs. Evaluators praised his ability to handle breaking pitches and changeups, too, even going so far as to say he seeks them out at times. He is prone to strikeout (27 percent at Lynchburg), but that comes with the power-hitter territory. Rodriguez is not exceptional by any means at first base, but he's not a liability, either.

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  Twenty-one years after the Indians drafted Manny Ramirez, the club picked Rodriguez out of the same Washington High program in the Bronx. Rodriguez has shown off impressive power in pro ball. He led the Carolina League with 17 home runs in 2015, a season after tying for the low Class A Midwest League crown with 22 homers. Rodriguez produces plenty of raw power and does a good job of getting to it in games. While his pop comes with a large dose of strikeouts, his approach has improved in the minors. He's willing to take a walk, and looks to hit the ball the other way more often. Rodriguez is a bottom-of-the- scale runner and has below-average arm strength, limiting him to first base, where he is an adequate defender. Righthanded-hitting first basemen can make for a tough profile, but Rodriguez's power gives him a chance to become an everyday player in the big leagues. After finishing 2015 at Double-A Akron, he'll return there in 2016 and stay one rung ahead of fast-rising fellow first baseman Bobby Bradley.