Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

Rodriguez has a chance to become the best player in this class, and it’s easy to see why. An advanced catching prospect with some pop and skills, Rodriguez has the potential to be a star on both sides of the ball. Behind the dish, he shows an advanced defensive approach and scouts rave about his upside. He is composed with an advanced and calculated, almost chess-like mindset for calling games.

Specifically, his framing and footwork are advanced for his age and he shows plus arm-strength potential and great hands. Offensively, Rodriguez sprays the ball to all fields with lots of hard contact and loft. He shows good bat-to-ball skills with present power and room to add more as he matures. He already displays lots of strength, and more is on the way.

Scouts rave about his leadership, maturity and work ethic. Rodriguez trains in Venezuela with Yasser Mendez, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Rodriguez was considered the best catching prospect in the 2024 international class and ranked No. 7 overall among that group (bumping slightly down once Roki Sasaki declared he was coming stateside). He signed with the Mets for $2.85 million out of Venezuela and repeated the Dominican Summer League in '24 and '25. He hit .331/.446/.493 with two homers in 43 games in his most recent DSL campaign, improving his wRC+ from 105 in ’24 to 147, before joining the Florida Complex League as a 19-year-old this year.

The 6-foot backstop arrives stateside at the same age as a college freshman, an important detail to factor in when considering his development to this point. He’s been praised for his bat-to-ball skills since his days as an amateur, and while his strikeout rate did creep up from 2024 to ’25, he also showed positive developments in his angles off the bat by cutting down significantly on his infield popups and increasing his line drives, leading to much healthier production across the board. There is some raw power here, and though it still hasn’t shown up much in games, there’s still hope he could get to average pop as he matures.

Rodriguez’s best tool remains his throwing arm from behind the plate, and he’s a threat to throw out roughly 30 percent of attempted basestealers because of that strength. His game-calling drew early praise too, and as the most high-profile catcher with the FCL Mets, he’ll get plenty of reps to work on his game behind the plate and develop into a potential average defensive backstop.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Ranked No. 7 on MLB Pipeline’s international list for 2024 (once Roki Sasaki was factored in for the brief time he was eligible that year), Rodriguez was considered the best catcher in the class when he signed with the Mets for $2.85 million, more than half of New York’s $5.284 million bonus pool at the time. The Venezuela native spent his first season in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League with modest results (.219/.359/.356 line, two homers in 44 games) before returning in 2025 with a stronger showing, albeit after a delayed start.

Standing 6 feet tall, the right-handed slugger drew praise for his bat-to-ball skills and advanced approach as an amateur, and that continues to be the case in his age-18 season. He’s upped his line-drive rate and cut down on infield popups, fueling the improved performance over the first two months of his summer. The over-the-fence pop still isn’t quite there, and he’s still likely to end up hit-over-power.

Rodriguez’s plus arm strength remains his best overall asset, and entering late July, he’d thrown out 30.8 percent of attempted basestealers in his second DSL go. He impressed with his early game-calling as he joined the professional ranks, and there are the raw pieces for him to become at least an average backstop in time. He’ll face tougher tests as he moves stateside, and as has been proven over and over again, a lot can happen with those who don the tools of ignorance as they climb the ladder.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

Ranked seventh on MLB Pipeline’s list of Top 50 international prospects for 2024, Rodriguez was the top catcher in this year’s class; no other backstop placed higher than No. 27. The Mets gave more than half their $5.284 million pool to the Venezuela native when they signed him for $2.85 million when the international window opened on Jan. 15.

Rodriguez draws strong early reviews from scouts and evaluators for his work on both sides of the ball. His best present skill might be his pure arm strength, and he combines that with overall athleticism to post impressive pop times that should be a major asset as steals tick up in the modern game. He has the hands and early framing to be a future above-average defensive catcher as well, and he’s impressed with his game calling too.

The Mets have been most pleased with Rodriguez’s bat-to-ball skills from the right side of the box, and he has the potential to grow into at least average power. That will likely play best to the pull side, but there’s hope in time he'll hit the ball to all fields with authority as well. Ethan Salas aside, teenage catchers can take some time to develop because of the demanding position, but Rodriguez provides intrigue, given his present tools and future projection.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/29/2025	C Yovanny Rodriguez assigned to FCL Mets from DSL Mets Orange.
	08/29/2025	FCL Mets activated C Yovanny Rodriguez.
	08/29/2025	FCL Mets activated C Yovanny Rodriguez.
	08/13/2025	C Yovanny Rodriguez assigned to DSL Mets Orange from DSL Mets Blue.
	06/05/2025	C Yovanny Rodriguez assigned to DSL Mets Blue from DSL Mets Orange.
	06/02/2025	C Yovanny Rodriguez assigned to DSL Mets Orange from St. Lucie Mets.
	03/28/2025	St. Lucie Mets placed C Yovanny Rodriguez on the 60-day injured list.
	03/23/2025	C Yovanny Rodriguez assigned to St. Lucie Mets from DSL Mets Orange.
	06/03/2024	DSL Mets Orange activated C Yovanny Rodriguez.
	01/15/2024	New York Mets signed free agent C Yovanny Rodriguez to a minor league contract.
	01/15/2024	C Yovanny Rodriguez roster status changed by DSL Mets Orange.
	01/15/2024	C Yovanny Rodriguez assigned to DSL Mets Orange.