Reynaldo Rodríguez
| Reynaldo Rodríguez | |
|---|---|
_(8621202220)_(cropped).jpg) Rodríguez with the New Britain Rock Cats in 2013 | |
| Tigres de Quintana Roo – No. 17 | |
| First baseman / Outfielder | |
| Born: July 2, 1986 Cartagena, Colombia | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right |
Reynaldo A. Rodriguez (born July 2, 1986) is a Colombian professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League.
Career[edit]
Rodriguez was signed as an undrafted 19-year-old free agent by the New York Yankees in 2006. He spent that season and the next season performing well in rookie ball. He was released and returned to Colombia where he played in 2008 before being signed by the Yuma Scorpions of the independent Golden Baseball League for the 2009 season. He had a breakout year in 2009 and headed Baseball America's Independent League Top Prospects List and had his contract purchased by the Boston Red Sox in the off-season. Always a hitter for average his power developed as he matured and with Boston he made it up to the Triple–A Pawtucket Red Sox.
Over the 2012 offseason, he became a free agent and was signed by the Minnesota Twins on December 7, 2012, where he had 21 homeruns and an OPS of .787 for the Double–A New Britain Rock Cats in 121 games. In 2014, he continued his hot hitting posting 20 home runs and an .870 OPS while batting .293 in 122 games before being promoted to Triple–A Rochester.[as of?] In 2016, he was suspended for 80 games after he tested positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing drug.[1] He elected free agency on November 7, 2016.
On April 12, 2017, Rodríguez was assigned to the Bravos de León of the Mexican Baseball League. He was released on May 2, 2017.
On March 9, 2018, Rodríguez signed with the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the independent American Association.[2] He was released on June 12, 2018.
On June 15, 2018, Rodríguez signed with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association. He was released on March 12, 2019.
On May 26, 2019, Rodríguez signed with the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League. Rodríguez did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
International career[edit]
Rodríguez represents the Colombian national baseball team.[4] At the 2017 World Baseball Classic, he slashed .143/.143/.143 over 14 at-bats.[5] He also participated in the 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier,[6] and the 2019 Pan American Games.
Rodríguez was not initially selected for the 2023 World Baseball Classic roster, but was added as a replacement for outfielder Tito Polo, who was unable to participate due to visa issues.[7] Over the course of the tournament's pool stage, Rodríguez led the Colombian team in batting average (.313), hits (5), and RBIs (5), and finished with the team's second-best OPS (.876), behind Dilson Herrera.[8] However, the Colombian team was eliminated from the tournament, and would be forced to re-qualify for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Personal life[edit]
Rodríguez's grandfather was Inocencio "Yuya" Rodríguez, who was the first Colombian to sign a contract with a Major League Baseball team, doing so with the Baltimore Orioles in 1954.[9] Yuya played in the Orioles, New York Giants, and Detroit Tigers minor league organizations until 1958.[10]
References[edit]
- ^ "Twins minor league OF suspended 80 games". 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Goldeyes Boost Lineup with Four-Time All-Star".
- ^ "Mexican League Cancels 2020 Season". July 2020.
- ^ "World Baseball Classic at-a-glance". Star Tribune.
- ^ "Stats - Colombia". MLB.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "COLÔMBIA". Prē Pan 19 (in Portuguese). Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ "Colombia ya tiene reemplazo de Tito Polo para el Clásico Mundial de Béisbol 2023" (in Spanish). El Fildeo. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Stats - Colombia". MLB.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "Reynaldo Rodriguez con la huella de su abuelo Inocencio «La Yuya» Rodriguez" (in Spanish). Vision del Deporte. 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Inocencio Rodriguez". Baseball Reference (minors).
External links[edit]
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- 1986 births
- Living people
- Águilas de Mexicali players
- Águilas del Zulia players
- Colombian expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
- Baseball first basemen
- Baseball players at the 2019 Pan American Games
- Bravos de León players
- Colombian expatriate baseball players in Canada
- Colombian expatriate baseball players in Mexico
- Colombian expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Dominican Summer League Yankees players
- Colombian expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
- Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks players
- Fort Myers Miracle players
- Greenville Drive players
- Gulf Coast Red Sox players
- Gulf Coast Yankees players
- Lowell Spinners players
- Mexican League baseball first basemen
- New Britain Rock Cats players
- Pawtucket Red Sox players
- Sportspeople from Cartagena, Colombia
- Portland Sea Dogs players
- Rochester Red Wings players
- Salem Red Sox players
- Tigres de Quintana Roo players
- Vaqueros de Montería players
- Winnipeg Goldeyes players
- Yaquis de Obregón players
- Yuma Scorpions players
- 2017 World Baseball Classic players
- 2023 World Baseball Classic players
- Pan American Games competitors for Colombia
- Caimanes de Barranquilla players