Yuber Rodriguez
| AB | 1160 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .219 |
| OBP | .295 |
| SLG | .309 |
| HR | 14 |
- Full name Yuber A. Rodriguez
- Born 11/17/1983 in Maracay, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: S / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Rodriguez struggled out of the gate in his full-season debut in 2005, hitting .173 for the first two months and just reaching the Mendoza Line at season's end. Unlike Lansing teammate Chi-Hung Cheng, who made a smooth transition to his new surroundings, Rodriguez had trouble adapting to the colder temperatures and more extensive travel in the Midwest League. A raw five-tool talent, Rodriguez has a long way to go to harness his physical abilities. The center fielder is the organization's top athlete and he's a plus defender, thrower and runner. But he doesn't yet possess basestealing instincts and needs to improve his leads and jumps. At the plate, he fell into bad habits early and began pressing. He has good bat speed and power potential, but has several adjustments to make at the plate after striking out 114 times in 111 games. Rodriguez will try to get back on track when he repeats low Class A this year. -
Rodriguez may have the highest upside of any position player in the Jays system. He earned all-star honors during his second stint in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, ranking among the leaders in several offensive categories. Managers considered him the top athlete in the league. Rodriguez has a projectable body with plenty of room for added strength. He displays plus raw power, speed and arm strength, and he's a sound center fielder. He has enough bat speed to catch up to quality fastballs and has a chance to develop into a middle-of-the-order threat. Rodriguez' pitch selection has improved, but he still needs to cut down on chasing pitches out of the zone. He'll get his first dose of full-season ball in 2005, as he heads to Toronto's new low Class A Lansing affiliate.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Pulaski's roster benefited the most from the relaxed age restrictions, as several of its older players enjoyed strong seasons. But Rodriguez' combination of success, physical skills and age (20) won many fans. He showed impressive bat speed and pop, leading the league with six triples while ranking among the top five in hits (77), doubles (15) and RBIs (53). His .396 on-base percentage notwithstanding, his plate discipline still needs work after he struck out 71 times in 249 at-bats. Rodriguez rated as the top athlete in the Appy League, and his arm strength and speed helped make him one of its best defensive outfielders. "He showed all five tools against us," Kendall said. "He kind of reminded me of Ruben Rivera, when he was on the way up."
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Athlete in the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007
- Rated Best Athlete in the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006
