MiLB Player of the Week: Rainiel Rodriguez
The Cardinal Chronicle
Rainiel Rodriguez Named Cardinals Minor League Player of the Week
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Rainiel Rodriguez keeps proving why he sits at the top of the Cardinals’ prospect list.
Rodriguez, the 19-year-old catcher for Double-A Springfield, is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Cardinals Minor League Player of the Week after putting together another outstanding offensive stretch.
Over five games, Rodriguez went 14-for-24 with three doubles, three home runs, nine RBIs and six runs scored. He hit .583 and posted a 1.667 OPS, finishing with the top weekly value at 38.
That is a dominant week from any player.
From a teenage catcher in Double-A, it carries even more weight.
Rodriguez did not simply have a productive week. He controlled the offensive board. He collected hits in bunches, drove the baseball with authority and continued to show the rare combination of contact, power and age-to-level production that makes him one of the most important prospects in the Cardinals’ system.
The bat continues to look real.
His three home runs showed the power. His three doubles showed the extra-base damage was not limited to balls leaving the yard. And perhaps just as important, Rodriguez struck out only two times in 24 at-bats. For a young hitter facing Double-A pitching, that kind of contact rate matters.
Jesús Báez made the decision interesting.
Báez, also with Double-A Springfield, had a strong week of his own, going 6-for-18 with four home runs, eight RBIs and a 1.333 OPS over four games. Any week with four home runs from a shortstop is going to demand attention, and Báez deserves plenty of credit for the power production.
But Rodriguez gets the edge because of the full offensive profile.
He hit .583, posted a higher OPS, drove in nine runs, collected 14 hits in five games and did it from behind the plate. The position matters. The age matters. The level matters. And the production left very little room for debate.
This is the kind of week that reinforces what the Cardinals already know: Rodriguez is not just holding his own at Double-A. He is becoming one of the defining bats in the system.
There will always be more work ahead for a young catcher. That is part of the job. The defensive responsibilities, the workload, the game-calling and the physical demands all make the path more difficult. But when a 19-year-old catcher is producing like this at Double-A, the organization has something special on its hands.
This week, Rodriguez stood above the rest.
The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Player of the Week:
Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Double-A Springfield
Weekly Line:
5 G, 24 AB, 6 R, 14 H, 3 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K, .583 AVG, 1.667 OPS
Why He Was Chosen:
Rodriguez delivered the strongest all-around offensive week in the Cardinals’ system, hitting .583 with three home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.667 OPS. His contact, power and production from the catcher position gave him the edge.
Also in the Mix:
Jesús Báez, SS, Double-A Springfield — Báez made a strong push after hitting four home runs with eight RBIs and a 1.333 OPS over four games. His power surge kept the race close, but Rodriguez’s complete offensive week and premium position carried the decision.
Old School Take:
A 19-year-old catcher hitting .583 in Double-A is not something you overthink. Add three home runs, nine RBIs and only two strikeouts, and the choice becomes pretty clear.
Jesús Báez had a week worthy of recognition.
Rainiel Rodriguez had the week worthy of the award.
The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.
Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary:
www.cardinalchronicle.com
Photo Credit: Rainiel Rodgriquez, Springfield Cardinals | MLB