Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

After signing with the Mets in January 2021 for $100,000, Rodriguez began a string of seasons in which he's hit well, finishing his Dominican Summer League debut with a .301 average and .847 OPS. He was crushing Florida Complex League pitching and even reached full-season St. Lucie during his United States debut in 2022 when he was sent to the Reds as part of the Tyler Naquin deal near the Trade Deadline. Rodriguez got more Florida State League time post-trade, then hit his way to High-A Dayton in 2023 and won Dominican Winter League Rookie of the Year honors by hitting .309/.344/.487 as an everyday player for Escogido after that.

Wherever he’s been, Rodriguez’s feel for hitting and contact skills from the left side of the plate have stood out. Even after his strikeouts ticked up a bit in 2023, he’s still only whiffed in 15.7 percent of his plate appearances heading into 2024. He can line balls to all fields, doing so even more consistently in winter ball. His overall impact improved last year as his ability to find the barrel started to translate into more power, lifting the ball more and decreasing his ground-ball rate. The next step for his offensive development will be to limit his aggressiveness with better strike zone awareness and swing decisions.

Now an outfielder only after signing as a middle infielder, Rodriguez has played more center field than anywhere else. His plus speed is an asset there, but it remains to be seen if he can stay up the middle full time. If he's going to settle into one spot, it might be left field, but he also could be a very valuable fourth outfielder who will find his way into the lineup more often if his offensive gains continue.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Rodriguez began his career with the Mets, who signed the Dominican teenager for $100,000 when the 2020-21 international signing period opened in January 2021. He made a strong first impression with an .847 OPS in his Dominican Summer League debut that summer, then continued to pile up hits stateside in the Florida Complex League. He found a new home with the Reds, who acquired him as part of the Tyler Naquin deal near the Trade Deadline in 2022, and he hit his way up to Single-A Daytona before a leg injury ended his season a bit early.

An undersized left-handed hitter, to say Rodriguez makes a lot of contact would be a huge understatement. He’s struck out in just 11 percent of his plate appearances heading into the 2023 season and is capable of shooting line drives to all fields. It remains to be seen how much impact he’ll have -- he needs to add strength to take more advantage of his knack for finding the barrel -- and he tends to swing a lot. But he uses his plus speed well to turn ground balls into hits, take an extra base or steal a bag.

Signed as an infielder, Rodriguez has seen time at second and third base, but he spent most of 2022 in center field, where his athleticism has a chance to play well. The Reds will get their first long look at their acquisition in 2023, and he’ll play all season at age 19.

Awards

PWL Rookie of the Year

Year	Team
2024

FSL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

FSL Player of the Month

Month	Team
05/2023

Baseball America Rookie All-Star

Year	Team
2022

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/04/2024	LF Hector Rodriguez assigned to Leones del Escogido.
	03/07/2024	Cincinnati Reds Prospects activated 2B Hector Rodriguez.
	03/02/2024	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to Cincinnati Reds.
	02/01/2024	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to Dominican Republic.
	12/02/2023	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to LIDOM All-Stars.
	10/19/2023	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to Leones del Escogido.
	08/23/2023	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to Dayton Dragons from Daytona Tortugas.
	08/23/2023	Dayton Dragons activated 2B Hector Rodriguez.
	08/23/2023	Dayton Dragons activated 2B Hector Rodriguez.
	09/23/2022	Daytona Tortugas activated 2B Hector Rodriguez from the 7-day injured list.
	09/06/2022	Daytona Tortugas placed 2B Hector Rodriguez on the 7-day injured list retroactive to September 5, 2022.
	08/16/2022	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to Daytona Tortugas from ACL Reds.
	08/01/2022	ACL Reds activated 2B Hector Rodriguez.
	07/29/2022	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to ACL Reds.
	07/28/2022	Cincinnati Reds traded CF Tyler Naquin and LHP Phillip Diehl to New York Mets for 2B Hector Rodriguez and RHP Jose Acuna.
	07/15/2022	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to FCL Mets from St. Lucie Mets.
	07/13/2022	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to St. Lucie Mets from FCL Mets.
	06/05/2022	2B Hector Rodriguez assigned to FCL Mets.
	01/15/2021	New York Mets signed free agent IF Hector Rodriguez to a minor league contract.
	01/15/2021	2B Hector Rodriguez and assigned to DSL Mets 1.