Julio Rodríguez facts for kids

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Julio Rodríguez

Rodríguez with Leones del Escogido in 2020

Seattle Mariners – No. 44

Center fielder

Born: December 29, 2000 (age 24)
Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

debut

April 8, 2022, for the Seattle Mariners

MLB statistics
(through May 13, 2025)

Batting average

.273

518

264

Teams

Seattle Mariners (2022–present)

Career highlights and awards

2× All-Star (2022, 2023)
All-MLB Second Team (2022)
AL Rookie of the Year (2022)
2× Silver Slugger Award (2022, 2023)

Medals

Men's baseball

Representing Dominican Republic
Olympic Games
Bronze	2020 Tokyo	Team

Julio Yarnel Rodríguez Jr. (born December 29, 2000), often called "J-Rod", is a professional baseball player. He plays as a center fielder for the Seattle Mariners in Major League Baseball (MLB). Julio signed with the Mariners in 2017. He made his big league debut in 2022. In his first year, he became an All-Star. He also won the Silver Slugger Award and was named American League Rookie of the Year Award.

Julio Rodríguez: Baseball Star
See also

Julio Rodríguez: Baseball Star

Early Life and Baseball Dreams

Julio Rodríguez was born and grew up in Loma de Cabrera, a town in the Dominican Republic. While many baseball players come from the Dominican Republic, not many are from his hometown. His father was an engineer and his mother was a dentist. Julio also has three brothers and sisters.

When he was ten, Julio started playing in a local baseball league. He played with kids who were three or four years older. His father began coaching him at age 12. He first trained Julio to be a catcher. The next year, Julio grew a lot and moved to the outfield.

Scouts first noticed Julio when he was only 12 years old. He hit a ball far to the outfield wall. This was against a 17-year-old pitcher who threw very hard. When he was 14, Julio left his family. He went to a baseball academy in Santiago de Los Caballeros. The Mariners team found him at a tryout there.

Becoming a Pro Player

Minor League Journey

Julio Rodríguez signed with the Seattle Mariners in July 2017. He was 16 years old and received a $1.75 million bonus. He started his professional career in 2018 with the Dominican Summer League Mariners. He mostly played right field. He hit very well, with a .315 batting average. He also hit five home runs and stole 10 bases. He was named a DSL All-Star.

In 2019, Julio played for the West Virginia Power. He missed almost two months because of a broken left hand. Later, he moved up to the Modesto Nuts. He was one of only three 18-year-olds to play at that higher level. He was much younger than most players in those leagues. After the season, he played in the Arizona Fall League. He was the youngest player there and continued to hit well.

In 2020, the minor league season was canceled. Julio broke his left wrist during a workout. He later played in the Dominican winter league. He also started training to become faster. This helped him play center field and steal more bases.

In 2021, Julio started with the Everett AquaSox. He then moved up to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers. He was chosen to play in the All-Star Futures Game. By August 2021, he was ranked as one of the best young players in all of baseball. He hit .347 with 13 home runs and 21 stolen bases that year. The Mariners added him to their main roster.

Playing for the Mariners

Rookie of the Year Season (2022)

The Mariners chose Julio Rodríguez as their starting center fielder for Opening Day in 2022. He played his first MLB game on April 8. After a slow start, he quickly improved. On May 1, he hit his first career home run. He was named the American League (AL) Rookie of the Month for both May and June.

Julio continued to play great in July. The Mariners won 14 games in a row. On July 15, he hit his first career grand slam. He was chosen for the 2022 MLB All-Star Game. He also took part in the Home Run Derby. He hit 81 home runs but lost in the final round.

On August 23, Julio hit his 20th home run. This made him the fourth player in MLB history to have 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in their first season. On September 14, he became the first player to reach 25 homers and 25 stolen bases in his first season. September was his best month, hitting .394 with 7 home runs.

In 2022, Julio hit .284 with 28 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He was the youngest player in the majors to play so many games. He won the Silver Slugger Award and the AL Rookie of the Year Award. He was one of the fastest runners and hardest hitters in baseball.

Playoff Excitement

Julio helped the Mariners reach the playoffs for the first time since 2001. This was the longest playoff drought in major North American sports. He played in all five Mariners playoff games. He got five hits and scored runs.

In Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, he was hit by a pitch twice. He scored the first run in a 4–0 win. His best playoff game was Game 1 of the American League Division Series. He hit a triple and a double, scoring three times.

Big Contract Deal

On August 26, Julio signed a long-term contract with the Mariners. The deal is for at least 8 years. It could last up to 14 years and be worth $470 million. He will earn at least $209 million. The contract also includes bonuses for winning awards. His 2023 salary increased from $720,000 to $21 million.

All-Star Season (2023)

On April 7, 2023, Julio hit a home run that broke a tie. This made him the fastest Mariners player to hit 30 home runs. On July 10, he hit 41 homers in the first round of the Home Run Derby. This broke the record for most home runs in a single round.

In August, Julio had an amazing hitting streak. From August 16 to 19, he got 17 hits in four games. This broke an MLB record that stood since at least 1901. During those four games, he went 17-for-22. He also hit 2 home runs, had 8 RBIs, and stole 5 bases.

In early September, he became the first player in MLB history to hit 25 home runs and steal 25 bases in his first two seasons. On September 11, he hit his 30th home run. This made him the 44th player to join MLB's 30–30 club.

In 2023, Julio hit .275 with 32 home runs. He led the AL in infield hits. He was second in total hits and stolen bases. He won his second Silver Slugger Award. He also finished fourth in the AL Most Valuable Player voting.

2024 Season

Julio had a tougher offensive season in 2024. He hit .273 with 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He and Bobby Witt Jr. became the first players to have 20 homers and 20 steals in their first three MLB seasons. Julio missed several weeks in July and August with an ankle injury. He finished the season strong, hitting .328 with 7 home runs in September.

Representing His Country

Julio Rodríguez has played for the Dominican Republic national team. He played in the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He also played in two qualifying tournaments before the 2020 Olympics. He hit very well in the Americas qualifying tournament. He hit two home runs against Venezuela. He also had a game-winning hit against Canada.

Julio was one of the best hitters at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. He hit .417 in 6 games. In the bronze medal game, he hit a two-run home run. This helped his team beat South Korea 10–6. They won his country's first medal in baseball. After the game, Julio said winning a medal for his country meant the world to him.

Julio and his team faced tougher competition in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He went 5-for-18 in four games. The Dominican Republic lost an elimination game to Puerto Rico. Julio made a great play in that game. He threw out a runner at third base from deep right field.

Off the Field

His Personality and Fans

Julio adopted his nickname "J-Rod" to honor former Mariner Alex Rodriguez.

Julio started learning English because his mother wanted him to. He began posting videos in English with his hashtag "#JRodShow". He started doing interviews in English in 2018. In 2021, a Mariners executive made a negative comment about Julio's English. Julio responded on Twitter, saying he took it personally. The executive resigned the next day.

Julio was featured on the packaging of Topps baseball cards in 2023. The Mariners also started a special fan section for him called the "J-Rod Squad." It is located behind him in center field.

In 2024, Julio appeared in a Mariners TV commercial with Ichiro Suzuki. The two outfielders became throwing partners in 2020. Suzuki, also a Rookie of the Year, was more than twice Julio's age.

Fox Sports made a documentary about Julio. It is called "Welcome to the J-Rod Show." It first aired on FS1 in July 2024.

Life Outside Baseball

Julio says he is motivated by anime. When he was a kid, he would run home from school to watch Naruto. As a rookie, he wore a chain with the character Naruto Uzumaki on it. This reminded him to never give up and always see the bright side.

Julio started dating Canadian professional soccer player Jordyn Huitema in September 2022. She also won an Olympic medal in 2020.

In January 2023, Julio donated an ambulance to his hometown of Loma de Cabrera. Before this, the town did not have an ambulance. He also gave baseball equipment and toys to children there. In 2024, Julio created his own foundation, the No Limits Foundation. It organized toy drives for children in his hometown and in Seattle.

Awards and Achievements

2× Silver Slugger Award (AL Outfielder, 2022–23)
Rookie of the Year Award (AL, 2022)
All-MLB Second Team (AL Outfielder, 2022)
Players Choice Award for AL Outstanding Rookie (2022)
American League Player of the Month (August 2023)