Hector Rodriguez
LF | Bats/Throws: L/R | 5' 10" 186LBS | Age: 20
MLB Pipeline Rank
PA AB R H HR SB AVG OBP SLG OPS
2024 541 507 65 139 12 12 .274 .309 .420 .729
Career Minors 1,377 1,274 207 372 34 52 .292 .337 .469 .806
AVG HR SB OPS
2024 .274 12 12 .729
Career Minors .292 34 52 .806

Standard Minor League Batting Statistics

SeasonTmLGLGPAABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOSBCSHBPAVGOBPSLGOPS
2021 DSL Mets 1 DSL ROK 42 141 123 17 37 8 2 3 15 13 17 6 8 3 .301 .376 .472 .848
2022 4 Teams Minors 49 196 183 34 61 12 8 3 26 12 20 16 6 0 .333 .372 .536 .908
2022 FCL Mets FCL ROK 27 113 106 19 37 4 4 3 16 6 10 12 3 0 .349 .381 .547 .928
2022 ACL Reds ACL ROK 7 28 25 7 10 4 2 0 4 3 0 3 2 0 .400 .464 .720 1.184
2022 2 Teams ROK 34 141 131 26 47 8 6 3 20 9 10 15 5 0 .359 .397 .580 .977
2022 St. Lucie Mets FSL A 2 8 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .143 .250 .143 .393
2022 Daytona Tortugas FSL A 13 47 45 7 13 4 2 0 6 2 10 1 1 0 .289 .319 .467 .786
2022 2 Teams A 15 55 52 8 14 4 2 0 6 3 10 1 1 0 .269 .309 .423 .732
2023 2 Teams Minors 115 499 461 91 135 25 10 16 61 28 94 18 6 8 .293 .343 .495 .838
2023 Daytona Tortugas FSL A 101 444 410 85 120 23 9 16 56 27 84 18 5 7 .293 .347 .510 .857
2023 Dayton Dragons MID A+ 14 55 51 6 15 2 1 0 5 1 10 0 1 1 .294 .309 .373 .682
2024 Dayton Dragons MID A+ 125 541 507 65 139 24 7 12 61 26 72 12 6 2 .274 .309 .420 .729

Scouting Report

2024

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.


2023

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




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 2B Hector Rodriguez and assigned to DSL Mets 1.
01/15/2021 New York Mets signed free agent IF Hector Rodriguez to a minor league contract.