After growing up in the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez moved to Boston in 2020 and lived in New England for two years before heading to the Georgia Premier Academy. He became the program’s first hitter to be drafted when the Angels took a $100,000 flyer on him in Round 19 of the 2023 Draft. Following two uneventful summers in the Arizona Complex League, things clicked in 2025 with a move up to the Single-A California League, where he finished among the league leaders in several categories and his 130 wRC+ was good for third in the circuit and led the Angels' organization. He wasn’t done, either, going to the Arizona Fall League and hitting .433 while taking home Fall Stars Game MVP honors.
The Angels think Rodriguez’s leap forward isn’t an anomaly. There’s a good amount of swing-and-miss in his power-over-hit game, but he has an approach and takes his walks to help offset the strikeouts. He’s just scratching the surface in getting to his power in games, with excellent bat speed producing high-end exit velocities and allowing him to drive the ball to all fields. Not only did he hit 14 homers in 2025, he also legged out 14 triples, a sign of his speed and athleticism.
The speed that allowed him to swipe 38 bases last year should help him defensively in the outfield as well. He’s probably a corner guy long-term, but he’s shown it’s not out of the question that he could spend some time up the middle. If he can keep the whiffs in check, he has the chance to have big league value as an athletic corner outfielder with pop.
Rodriguez was born and raised in the Dominican Republic but moved to the United States in 2020. After living in Boston for two years, he headed south to attend the Georgia Premier Academy, the school that produced Guardians 2019 first-rounder Daniel Espino. Rodriguez became the first hitter drafted from the program when the Angels took him in the 19th round of the 2023 Draft, signing him for $100,000, but he didn't gain any traction until 2025, when he made his full-season debut and led the California League in a host of offensive categories. He capped off his breakout year by finishing second in the Arizona Fall League with his .433 average and won AFL Fall Stars Game MVP honors.
A strong right-handed-hitting outfielder, Rodriguez has a power-over-hit profile and he's just learning how to tap into that pop. After hitting just one home run over 41 games in the Arizona Complex League in 2023 and 2024 combined, his 14 dingers in 2025 tied for the league lead. He can drive the ball to all fields with high exit velocities and uses his above-average speed to turn singles into doubles and doubles into triples; he had a league-leading 14 three-baggers in 2025. While he's more than willing to take a walk, he'll have to watch the swing-and-miss in his game after racking up 130 K's in 2025.
The speed Rodriguez uses on the basepaths -- he also stole 38 bags last year -- is also an asset in the outfield. He's primarily been a corner outfielder, and that's where he's likely to end up long-term, but he showed this year that he could handle center field when needed. If he can keep making enough contact, he could fit the athletic run-producing right fielder type of model well.
