Josh Rodriguez

Josh Rodriguez - Shortstop
Age: 23 Height: 6'0" Weight: 185 Bats: Right Throws: Right

	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	OBP	SLG	OPS
2007 Kinston	.262	133	493	84	129	20	9	20	82	68	95	21	.351	.460	.811
Career	.263	178	650	110	171	31	13	24	106	82	128	23	.348	.462	.810

History: The Indians took Rodriguez with their second of four picks in the 2nd round of the 2006 Draft out of Rice University. He finished last season with nine triples, which tied a Kinston franchise record. Also, Rodriguez was just the second player in Kinston history to put up at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season. The only other person to accomplish the feat is current Kinston hitting coach Jon Nunnally, who put up 24 home runs and 23 stolen bases at Kinston in 1994. Rodriguez also led the Carolina League in runs with 84, and racked up two Carolina League Player of the Week honors (8/13 and 9/4) and also was named a Carolina League Post-Season All-Star.

Strengths & Opportunities: Rodriguez is a patient hitter with gap power who drives the ball well, and has some thunder in his bat. He is a great athlete with a knack for hitting, and in his first full season of professional baseball was driving the ball out of the park in a pitchers park in Kinston. The ball jumps off his bat, and according to scouts his power is for real where they believe he could reproduce his 20-20 (HR and SB) in the majors eventually. Rodriguez is not a big kid, but he has above average bat speed and is an extra base hit machine. Not only did he hit 20 home runs last year, but he also piled up 20 doubles and nine triples, and if you add in his 21 stolen bases you can see why he is much adored as an offensive player because he is a player who can stuff a stat sheet. He has shown the ability to get hot and carry a team, going on a 5 HR, 17 RBI outburst in a six game span in early August last year.

Rodriguez has an excellent throwing arm, and is versatile enough to play anywhere in the infield and even some outfield. He impressed scouts in the Carolina League last year with his defensive abilities, showing good projection as a quality defensive shortstop in the majors with plus arm strength and good lateral range to his left and right. While he is a very good shortstop, some feel he would become an elite prospect at second base because of his dynamite bat, strong arm and range. The Indians were very encouraged by his play at shortstop last year, and while he has the ability to be an everyday major league shortstop, at a minimum the Indians know he has the athleticism and the bat to one day help a major league team as a super utility player.

Rodriguez's swing was a work in progress all last season as he worked extensively with Kinston hitting coach Jon Nunnally to try and find the proper timing and amount of load in his swing. He struggled the first half of the season while he was making all of these adjustments, and only hit .233 with 6 HR, 33 RBI and a .728 OPS. But, the second half of the season was a different story, as he hit .287 with 14 HR, 47 RBI, and an .886 OPS. The reason for Rodriguez's late season success was tied to the adjustments he and Nunnally made at the plate to avoid being so pull conscious by shortening his swing and using the entire field. He finally adapted to getting loaded much quicker and squared to the plate so he could see the ball out of the pitcher's hand better. He loosened his hands as they were real tight, and he also started working from the top of the ball down instead of from the bottom of the ball up.

Going into his draft year, Rodriguez was considered the top shortstop available in preseason draft rankings, but his draft stock plummeted somewhat when he suffered a serious elbow injury in the fall of 2005. The injury limited Rodriguez to designated hitter duty for most of the 2006 season at Rice, and when he returned to the field late in the year he was moved to third base so he would not have to make any long relay throws which could further damage the tendon in his elbow.

Rodriguez is still young and learning, and as he continues to mature he needs to maintain his revamped approach of being shorter to the ball and getting on top of the ball. He still needs more work on recognizing pitches. Also, the Indians want him to become more of a situational hitter by learning to hit the ball differently in different situations, and they worked on that with him in the Florida Development Program this past fall.

Outlook: Like with Wes Hodges, it appears the Indians gamble on drafting Rodriguez with their second round pick has paid off and they may have found another potential steal. After playing a season in Single-A Mahoning Valley and advanced Single-A Kinston the last two years, it looks like Rodriguez's health issues are behind him since he has not been sidelined with any elbow issues. With the need in the system for quality, impact middle infielders, Rodriguez is one to keep an eye on going forward. Rodriguez should open the season as the starting shortstop at Akron.

Video: Rodriguez at the plate and taking batting practice.

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