Javier Rodriguez OF R R 6-2 165 Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
The Mets drafted Rodriguez in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft.
In June 2008, BA did a post-draft adjustment of their top 10 Mets prospects and Rodriquez was ranked #9, with the comments: “9. Javier Rodriguez, of - 2008 second-rounder is a lean athlete with speed and projectable power.”
Andy Braunstein:
# 2 Javier Rodriguez OF Puerto Rico Baseball Academy - They say he is the best pure hitter in PR. Has good bat speed good athletic body. 6.7 in 60. Saw his video and he has impressive bat speed. At least 6, maybe 6-6.5 and pencil him for 20 HR once he fills out his thin frame. His arm is strong, can throw form mid-CF and hit HP on the fly. Didn’t see much speed down the basepaths but feel he is faster. That he dogs it down the line is one thing I didn’t like. He could be the catch of the draft.
In 2008, Rodrigues batted .193 for the GCL Mets.
In February 2009, Toby Hyde said:
#15 - CF Javier Rodriguez - Why Ranked Here: Athleticism, athleticism and athleticism. The lanky Rodriguez lopes across centerfield with plus range already. It’s like he’s built with springs in his cleats. As Mets fans who watch and appreciate Carlos Beltran’s play should know, playing center is not just about being a burner and Rodriguez already gets good reads of the bat. Rodriguez’s long swing prevented him from making good consistent contact, although once underway, he showed fine batspeed. He has room to fill out on his wiry frame, which will bring more power into his game. 2008: Hitting .193/.258/.237 is fine in a 38 game professional debut in the GCL, but would be acceptable for a prospect in almost no other league. Projected 2009 Start: Savannah with a good Spring Training. XST is a possibility as well.
In February 2009, World of Baseball ranked J-Rod the 7th top prospect out of Puerto Rico:
7. Javier Rodriguez OF (Mets) - He’s still a teenager, drafted in the second round in 2008. His first exposure to rookie ball he only hit .193, but he shows all five tools. Whether he can put them together will decide how far he advances. Despite his poor average he only had 27 K’s in 38 games so he was making contact. A good spring will give the Mets confidence to start him in low A, otherwise he will have to play in extended spring training until the Rookie leagues begin, or Javier shows the readiness to handle low A.
In March 2009, Joe DeMayo wrote:
Mets Prospect #14: OF Javier Rodriguez - Rodriguez, a Mets 2nd round draft pick in 2008 out of Puerto Rico is the one of, if not the most athletic prospect in the Mets system. At the young age of 18 he is already playing center field like a pro. Unfortunately hitting wasn’t a strength for “J-Rod” in his pro debut. He hit a mere .193 in the Gulf Coast League, but he still has immense potential. He is very rail thin at this point(163 pounds), but at his young age, he is still very likely to build up some. A major issue with Rodriguez’s offensive game is the length of his swing, which is what led to 27 strikeouts in 38 games in his professional debut. He needs to either work on shortening his stroke, or develop more bat speed or he’s going to get a real lot of strikeouts throughout his minor league career. There is no doubt though about Rodriguez’s defense and speed. I don’t like to compare anyone to Beltran, but scouts say Rodriguez has the graceful range similar to that of Beltran. He was a very high pick by the team, and they see a lot of potential in him.
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