Spanish
SANTO DOMINGO.- Rainiel Rodríguez became the first selection of the current national and Caribbean champions, Leones del Escogido, in the 2025 Rookie Draft. Immediately, general manager Carlos Peña valued the pick, which was the third of the draft.
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"We are privileged to have been able to select him and we are very happy. He has great talent as a catcher, a position that is very difficult. It's a great way to start the Draft," Peña indicated.Rodríguez is the number four prospect for the St. Louis Cardinals, according to MLB Pipeline. He was signed in 2024 with a bonus of US$300,000 and since he debuted that same year in the Dominican Summer League, he has imposed his class as a hitter.
This year, between Rookie League, Class A, and Class A+, he has combined an offensive line of .276/.399/.555, with 20 home runs and 63 RBIs in 84 games. Also, the native of Pimentel has hit 22 doubles this year, in a performance that includes 59 runs scored. In 2025, he received the Player of the Month distinction in the Florida Complex League, for his performance during the month of May. With a height of 5'10, scouts project the right-handed hitter as a player with the ability to cause damage to opponents, which has been reflected in a high number of batted balls with an exit velocity above 100 miles per hour. Behind the plate, Rodriguez has thrown out 34 of 80 runners who have tried to steal on him this year, for a 30 percent success rate. Rodríguez elevates the quality in the catcher position held by Escogido's native reserve, where Major League player Yainer Díaz also stands out, as well as LIDOM veteran Pedro Severino, and Freuddy Batista, who this year has recorded his best campaign in the Minor Leagues with the Seattle Mariners.-
