Johnathan Rodriguez Stats & Scouting Report

AB	71
AVG	.197
OBP	.260
SLG	.366
HR	2

Full name Johnathan Rodriguez
Born 11/04/1999 in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 224 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy
Drafted in the 3rd round (102nd overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2017 (signed for $450,000).

View Draft Report

Rodriguez is one of the youngest players in the class, and he won't turn 18 until November. He has excellent raw tools and a projectable 6-foot-3, broad-shouldered frame with a tapered waist and room to to add muscle. He shows some of the best pure arm strength in the class; his arm grades as a present 60 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. He shows flashes offensively but has a long swing with a deep load, and scouts believe it will take him a while to adjust to professional pitching. He's a high-risk, high-reward pick and could entice a team on day two or day three with his exciting raw tools.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: Rodriguez was a high-risk, high-reward prospect coming out of Puerto Rico in the 2017 draft when Cleveland signed him for $450,000 in the third round. He made his MLB debut seven years later, though that debut was just a brief 13-game affair where he managed just a .486 OPS. He spent the bulk of his time with Triple-A Columbus, where he homered 29 times for the second straight year.

Scouting Report: In a system chock full of precocious pure hitters, Rodriguez is a prototypical slugger with “aluminum bat juice” that comes with big swing-and-miss questions. Listed at 6-foot-2, 224 pounds, Rodriguez has tons of strength and employs a fierce, uphill swing that leads to some of the best top-end exit velocities in the minor leagues. His 58 combined home runs in the last two seasons are good for fourth-best among all minor league hitters. Despite the power, Rodriguez has real struggles against spin and in his MLB debut opposing pitchers threw him fastballs less than 40% of the time to take advantage of that—leading to a 35% strikeout rate. He’s a below-average runner and fielder but his arm strength is a double-plus weapon and the best outfield throwing arm in Cleveland’s system.

The Future: Rodriguez has a pair of impact tools in his power and arm strength, but his vulnerability to spin is a real question mark that could limit him to more of a reserve role or a platoon option vs. lefties.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Field: 40 | Arm: 70.
BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Rodriguez was one of the youngest players in the 2017 draft class. He was seen as a developmental project at the time and that promise is now getting closer to paying off. He advanced to Triple-A Columbus in 2023 and was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason to prevent him from becoming a minor league free agent.

Scouting Report: Rodriguez has done a better job of tapping into his power over the last two years, which has helped him emerge as a prospect. His 29 home runs in 2023 led all of the organization’s minor leaguers. With improved power has come more swing and miss, though Rodriguez is adept at working walks. Rodriguez is a below-average runner, but his plus arm plays well in right field.

The Future: Rodriguez will play all of 2024 as a 24-year-old and has put himself in position to make his major league debut sometime during the summer. His powerful righthanded bat gives him intriguing upside, especially for an organization that’s short on power hitters.

Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 60
Track Record: Rodriguez was one of the youngest players in the 2017 draft class. He is more of a long-term developmental bet, but adjusted faster to professional baseball than some had expected.

Scouting Report: Rodriguez, a switch-hitter, has a smooth swing and showed he has some feel for the strike zone. He has plus raw power and projects to hit for power as he fills out his projectable frame. While his power hasn't translated into many home runs in pro ball, he has driven the ball well into gaps and played all season as an 18-year-old. Rodriguez has below-average speed, but his plus arm plays well in right field, where he can be a solid defender.

The Future: Rodriguez's age has allowed the Indians to take a conservative approach in his development and he'll still reach short-season Mahoning Valley in 2019 as a 19-year-old. He is raw, but he has the tools and work ethic to, in time, develop into a prototypical right fielder.
Rodriguez was one of the youngest players in the 2017 draft class and didn't turn 18 until November. He is more of a long-term developmental bet, but the product of the Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico adjusted faster to professional baseball than some had expected, debuting with a solid summer in the Arizona League. Rodriguez, a switch hitter, has a smooth swing and showed he has some feel for the strike zone. He has above-average raw power and projects to hit for power as he fills out his projectable frame. Rodriguez has below-average speed, but his plus arm plays well in right field, where he can be a solid defender. Rodriguez's age means the Indians won't feel any need to rush him, and he'll likely start 2018 back in Arizona. Rodriguez is raw, but he has the tools and work ethic to develop into a prototypical right fielder with time.

Draft Prospects

Rodriguez is one of the youngest players in the class, and he won't turn 18 until November. He has excellent raw tools and a projectable 6-foot-3, broad-shouldered frame with a tapered waist and room to to add muscle. He shows some of the best pure arm strength in the class; his arm grades as a present 60 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. He shows flashes offensively but has a long swing with a deep load, and scouts believe it will take him a while to adjust to professional pitching. He's a high-risk, high-reward pick and could entice a team on day two or day three with his exciting raw tools.