MLB 2022: 40 things to watch this baseball season
FOX Sports' MLB Writers get you ready for Opening Day with their lists of the players, teams and events to watch this season.APRIL 4, 2022
JULIO RODRÍGUEZ #44 - CENTER FIELDER - SEATTLE MARINERS
20 HR •
68 RBI •
.273 AVG
20 HR
68 RBI
.273 AVG
Julio Rodriguez makes Opening Day roster for Mariners He's headed to the big show. For young outfielder Julio Rodriguez, it has always been his dream to suit up for the Seattle Mariners in April...
APRIL 4, 2022 • 12UP.COM
'It's on': Mariners star prospect Julio Rodriguez makes opening day roster The 'if' was never considered. And the "when" is now. Star prospect Julio Rodriguez has made the Mariners opening-day roster. "It's on," he...
APRIL 4, 2022 • SEATTLETIMES.COM
Mariners top prospect Julio Rodríguez makes Opening Day roster Rodríguez, the No. 9 prospect in baseball according to The Athletic's Keith Law, has hit .419 with a 1.310 OPS through 12 spring games for t...
APRIL 4, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Promotion to big leagues official The Mariners announced Monday that Rodriguez has secured a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Impact Given the existing outfield talent already at the MLB level, the Mariners might have had some justification for sending Rodriguez to Triple-A Tacoma to begin the season, but their top prospect earned his way on the big-league roster by delivering a monstrous 1.310 OPS while collecting three stolen bases across 12 Cactus League games. He'll occupy an everyday role in the outfield alongside 22-year-old Jarred Kelenic, with Mitch Haniger and Jesse Winker likely filling out the remaining corner-outfield spot while the other serves as a designated hitter. Even though he just turned 21 years old in December, Rodriguez already looks like a potential top-flight fantasy option due to his strong bat-to-ball skills, good speed and ability to hit for power.
APRIL 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Looks to have locked up roster spot Rodriguez appears to have earned a spot on the Mariners' Opening Day roster, Jim Bowden of The Athletic reports.
Impact Mariners manager Scott Servais nor anyone else in the organization has confirmed as much, and official word on Rodriguez's inclusion on the roster may not arrive until Seattle closer to Thursday's season opener versus the Twins. At this point, though, all signs point to Rodriguez breaking camp with the big club on the heels of a massive spring in which he's posted a 1.310 OPS and three stolen bases. The 21-year-old's five-tool skill set should make him an immediate fantasy contributor right away, and his arrival could push the Mariners over the top in their bid to make the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
APRIL 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
At long last, it's Julio Rodríguez time for the Mariners: 'He's special' Rodríguez, 21, didn't back his way onto the roster. He played his way onto it.
APRIL 4, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Another stellar afternoon Sunday Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with an RBI double, a solo home run and two runs overall in a Cactus League win over the Royals on Sunday.
Impact Rodriguez finished just a triple shy of the cycle before being pulled for a pinch runner in the seventh inning, putting together yet another stellar spring outing. The elite prospect's third multi-hit effort of the Cactus League play -- all of which have come in the last five games -- pushed his spring average to .419 (13-for-31), a number seemingly good enough to lock in an Opening Day roster spot. However, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports it's likely there won't be an official announcement until Tuesday on Seattle's final cutdowns, which will leave Rodriguez and fantasy managers in suspense for a bit longer.
APRIL 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Slugs inside-the-park HR Rodriguez may have clinched an Opening Day roster spot with his inside-the-park home run against the Guardians on Thursday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
Impact The elite prospect showed off his rich skill set on his drive to deep right center, getting around the bases in 14 seconds to beat a good throw to the plate, while Kramer noted the blast sported a 105-mph exit velocity. Rodriguez's Cactus League line now sits at .360/.429/.720 over 10 games, and while manager Scott Servais wasn't ready to officially declare the 21-year-old outfielder has already made the team, he noted that he "couldn't be any happier with how he's played out" in reference to Rodriguez's spring performance.
APRIL 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Learning day Wednesday Rodriguez made a couple mistakes in Wednesday's game against the Cubs, but is back in the lineup Thursday, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.
Impact He hit a ground-rule double to right-center but failed to score on a Ty France single after getting deked by third baseman Jonathan Villar, who acted as if a throw was coming toward him and that he was preparing to make a tag. Rodriguez didn't see the third-base coach waving home, so it cost the team a run. He also lost a flyball in the sun and struck out in his final three plate appearances, all on offspeed stuff, mostly out of the zone. The game's top prospect is hitting .304/.360/.565 with one home run, three doubles, nine strikeouts and two walks in 23 at-bats. He has primarily played center field.
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Julio Rodriguez has 'a learning day' as Mariners fall 8-5 to Cubs After ripping a ground-rule double to right-center on Drew Smyly’s first pitch of the game, Julio Rodriguez had a baser-running gaffe and st...
MARCH 30, 2022 • SEATTLETIMES.COM
Another impressive showing Rodriguez went 2-for-2 with an RBI double, a walk, a stolen base and a run in a Cactus League win over the Rangers on Monday.
Impact The surging prospect flashed his versatile offensive skill set, pushing his spring average to .316 across 21 plate appearances. The only blemish on Rodriguez's Cactus League resume is his six strikeouts, but if the 21-year-old continues to produce in similar fashion over the balance of the exhibition slate, Seattle will have a hard time justifying sending him to Triple-A.
MARCH 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Julio Rodriguez's talent and potential win out in latest Mariners opening day roster projection Opting to use a rotation of players at designated hitter would allow the Mariners to get almost daily at-bats for Julio Rodriguez. Here's th...
MARCH 26, 2022 • SEATTLETIMES.COM
Mariners prospect Julio Rodriguez shows why he's exactly what MLB needs Major League Baseball needs players like Julio Rodriguez.
MARCH 26, 2022 • SPORTINGNEWS.COM
Chances of roster spot increasing Rodriguez, who's hitting .364 across his first 12 Cactus League plate appearances, appears to have an increasingly realistic shot to make the Opening Day roster, Daniel Kramer of M...
Impact The organization's No. 1 prospect is once again wowing virtually every time he takes the field, and Kramer notes that even the presence of the similarly talented Jarred Kelenic in Rodriguez's center field spot won't necessarily be a deterrent. Rodriguez has already played center in three of his first five exhibitions, with Kelenic shifting over to right field when the former drew a start at the position on Monday. If Rodriguez makes the Opening Day roster, Kelenic would likely shift to left field and recent acquisition Jesse Winker would be a candidate to see more time at designated hitter.
MARCH 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Big blast in spring opener Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in the Mariners' Cactus League loss to the Padres on Friday. He was also caught stealing on his one attempt.
Impact The prized prospect wasted no time making an impact in his first official exposure of the spring to big-league arms, uncorking a three-run blast in the sixth inning to erase a 1-0 deficit. Rodriguez's round tripper traveled 431 feet and boasted an exit velocity of 117 mph, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports. Rodriguez hasn't been ruled out from potentially opening the season on the big-league club with an impressive enough spring after eviscerating Double-A pitching in 2021 to the tune of a .362/.461/.546 slash line across 206 plate appearances with Arkansas.
MARCH 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Julio Rodríguez begins push for Mariners' Opening Day roster spot with 431-foot homer In all honestly, the ball might still be going. Like to Flagstaff. Really.
MARCH 19, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Mariners star prospect Julio Rodriguez hits three-run homer, but Seattle falls 6-4 in first spring game After right-hander Angel Felipe walked a pair of batters in the sixth inning, Julio Rodriguez crushed a 2-2 slider over the fence in left fi...
MARCH 19, 2022 • SEATTLETIMES.COM
Outfielder Julio Rodriguez and four other Mariners prospects land on Baseball America's Top 100 list For the second straight year, the Mariners placed five players on the Baseball America's list of top 100 prospects, which is vastly differen...
JANUARY 20, 2022 • SEATTLETIMES.COM
Contract selected by Mariners Rodriguez's contract was selected by the Mariners on Thursday.
Impact Rodriguez will unsurprisingly be added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the upcoming Rule 5 draft. The 20-year-old advanced to Double-A Arkansas in 2021 and slashed .362/.461/.546 with seven homers, 35 runs, 26 RBI and 16 stolen bases. He'll likely be in the mix to make his major-league debut at some point in 2022.
NOVEMBER 18, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
