The Seattle Mariners rookie phenom stole our hearts as the breakout star of the 2022 Home Run Derby. Here’s everything you need to know about the 21-year-old All-Star outfielder.
Only one man has ever hit more dingers in a single Home Run Derby than the 81 Julio Rodriguez swatted Tuesday night in Los Angeles — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who blasted 91 at Progressive Field in Cleveland back in 2019. Only three other guys in Derby history have more than 60.
Such is the condition of the ascendant phenom manning center field for a Seattle Mariners team that entered the 2022 MLB All-Star break on a 14-game win streak, tied for the longest in baseball this season.
So, just who is the Dominican dandy who bewitched our tender hearts at Dodger Stadium on the way to eliminating betting favorite Pete Alonso in the semifinals and going toe-to-toe with Juan Soto for top honors? You have Julio Rodriguez questions, Boardroom has answers.
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Who is Julio Rodriguez?
DOB: Dec. 29, 2000
Age: 21
Hometown: Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic
Position: CF
Bats/throws: R/R
- 2017: Signed with Mariners organization at 16 years old
- 2018: Dominican Summer League All-Star with Mariners’ rookie ball affiliate
- 2021: Became No. 1-rated prospect in Mariners organization
- 2021: Became No. 2 overall prospect in Major League Baseball according to MLB Pipeline
- 2022: Made MLB debut with Mariners on Opening Day, April 8
Julio Rodriguez Stats & Accolades
Numbers reflect MLB first-half stats for the 2022 regular season. Advanced stats via FanGraphs.
Games: 91
Plate appearances: 380
Slash line: .275/.337/.477
OPS: .814
Hits: 95
RBI: 52
HR: 16
K/BB: 102/26
fWAR: 2.9
wRC+: 135
OPS+: 134
wOBA: .351
Bronze medal at 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games
2x AL Rookie of the Month (May ’22, June ’22)
2022 MLB All-Star
Julio Rodriguez Contract & Team Control Details
2022 MLB salary: $700,000 (via Spotrac)
- NOTE: Rodriguez earned $750,000 Home Run Derby prize money by finishing runner-up Monday night.
Remaining scheduled pre-arbitration seasons: 2023, 2024, 2025
Scheduled arbitration-eligible seasons: 2026, 2027, 2028
Scheduled for free agency: After 2028 season
- The only way J-Rod could reach free agency before the 2028-29 offseason is if he’s somehow released by his team. However, he is likely to be able to supersede his final pre-arb season (2025) with a bonus year of arbitration eligibility as a “super two” player under MLB service time rules.
- Click here to learn more about how service time works with Boardroom’s MLB free agency cheat sheet.
- Click here to learn more about how arbitration works in Major League Baseball.
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