Alberto Rodriguez made a name for himself
Midfielder Alberto Rodriguez spent the 2021 season practically linked at the hip with the touted short step Noelvi Marte.
The two Dominican Republic natives are longtime friends, both from the city of Cotui. They anchored Low-A Modesto’s roster for most of the year. And in September, they were simultaneously promoted to High-A Everett.
Marte is considered by many to be one of baseball’s top prospects, but with little notice, Rodriguez is also beginning to make a name for himself.
Rodriguez is a left-back, turning 21 in October. In 93 games for Modesto, he’s hit .295/.383/.484 with 10 home runs, 30 doubles and 13 conceded bases. steal. The Mariners added him to their 40-man roster on November 19 to protect him from a Rule 5 draft.
The Blue Jays signed Rodriguez in 2017 and he achieved all-star status in the Gulf Coast Rookie in 2019. The Mariners bought him as a named player when they traded. Taijuan Walker to Toronto in 2020.
Rodriguez got off to a slow start into 2021, scoring just 0.167 in his first 30 games. But in mid-June, he changed course.
Since that time, Rodriguez has produced an eye-popping .332 / .394 / .531 hit with 37 base shots in his last 70 games.
That included a scorching August that saw him win the West Lowest Player of the Month title, in which he hit .374 with 1,018 OPS in 22 games.
During his three professional seasons, Rodriguez proved highly disciplined. He has an 11.3% career walk and 20.6% hit rate.
Rodriguez’s biggest development has been his rise to power. After hitting just two home games in 47 games at the GCL, he has scored 10 goals at home in 2021.
Rodriguez was almost dry at High-A. But the Mariners’ decision to protect him from the Rule 5 draft is certainly a vote of confidence in the young slugger’s potential.
SPICE
– Andres Muñoz, 22-year-old right winger, has signed a four-year extension with the Mariners, the club announced on December 1. The deal is believed to be worth $7.5 million. Muñoz, a Mexican native, made his MLB debut against the Padres in July 2019 and appeared in 22 games against San Diego that season. He had Tommy John surgery in March 2020 and was acquired by the Mariners in August of that year. Muñoz made three appearances with Triple-A Tacoma in 2021 and pitched in the Mariners’ October 3 season finale, hitting the 101 mph mark in a 17-yard game.
– The Mariners settled left-back Ray Kerr and midfielder Corey Rosier for the Padres in a second all-star transfer on November 27. Adam Frazier. Kerr, a 27-year-old hard to throw, posted an ERA of 3.18 with 60 strikes and 16 walks in 39.2 this season with Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma. Prior to the trade, Kerr was added to the Mariners’ 40-man roster to guard the waterline under Rule 5. Rosier, a 22-year-old left-back, had shot .390 / .461 / .585 in 31 games with Low-A Modesto after being selected in the 12th round of the 2021 draft.
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