The switch hitter had a nice year in a utility infielder role for Savannah last year
3B/SS/2B/LF, Switch-hitter, 23
2015 with Savannah (including playoffs): 115 G, 469 G, .256/.315/.342, 50 R, 107 H, 17 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 47 RBI, 99 K: 35 BB (21.1 K%: 7.5 BB%), .324, .086, 89 wRC+, 16.7 AB/XBH, 4.6% HR/FB, 51.9 GB%: 20.1 FB%: 19.8 LD%: 8.3 PU%, 17-25 on stolen base attempts (68%)
The Mets signed J.C. Rodriguez out of the Neftali Cruz Academy in the Dominican Republic back in July 2010. He’s been in the organization awhile, but last year was only his 3rd season stateside, and 1st in full season ball action. This means that while J.C. isn’t old at only 23, he’ll be eligible for minor league free agency after the 2017 season, and he has a long way to climb between now and then for the Mets to add him to their 40-man roster. He didn’t have a big year at the plate for Savannah in 2015, but he played good defense at 3B and 2B, and looked fine at SS when I saw him, which keeps him interesting as a utility guy. In the field, he’s got fluid actions and enough arm for the left side of the infield, so his defensive versatility should remain an asset for him as he ages.
 |
| J.C. Rodriguez's 2015 Spray Charts vs. LHP (left) and vs. RHP (right) |
Table 1 – J.C. Rodriguez’s 2015 Splits by Month
Month
|
PA
|
AB/XBH
|
HR/FB
|
BB%
|
K%
|
BABIP
|
ISO
|
wRC+
|
GB%
|
PU%
|
April
|
73
|
17.8
|
0
|
1.4
|
16.4
|
.356
|
.084
|
97
|
41.4
|
13.8
|
May
|
114
|
16.7
|
9.5
|
6.1
|
15.8
|
.317
|
.120
|
104
|
55.2
|
5.7
|
June
|
82
|
18.5
|
0
|
7.3
|
34.1
|
.255
|
.068
|
27
|
56.5
|
10.9
|
July
|
70
|
61
|
12.5
|
10
|
21.4
|
.222
|
.050
|
53
|
66
|
8.5
|
August
|
100
|
10.6
|
0
|
12
|
18
|
.391
|
.094
|
136
|
45.5
|
6.1
|
September
|
30
|
13.5
|
0
|
6.7
|
26.7
|
.421
|
.074
|
106
|
45
|
5
|
Table 2 – J.C. Rodriguez’s 2015 Platoon Splits
Split
|
PA
|
AB/XBH
|
HR/FB
|
BB%
|
K%
|
BABIP
|
ISO
|
wRC+
|
GB%
|
LHP
|
117
|
17.7
|
0
|
6
|
23.9
|
.300
|
.057
|
55
|
50
|
RHP
|
352
|
16.4
|
5.7
|
8
|
20.2
|
.332
|
.096
|
100
|
52.4
|
Table 3 – J.C. Rodriguez’s 2015 Batted Ball Type Splits
Batted Ball Type
|
PA
|
BABIP
|
SAL BABIP
|
wOBA
|
SAL wOBA
|
FB
|
65
|
.210
|
.189
|
.345
|
.341
|
GB
|
176
|
.286
|
.252
|
.276
|
.243
|
LD
|
64
|
.672
|
.734
|
.687
|
.788
|
Table 4 – J.C. Rodriguez’s 2015 Batted Ball Direction Splits
vs. RHP
Batted Ball
Direction
|
PA
|
%
|
AB/XBH
|
BABIP
|
SAL BABIP*
|
wOBA
|
SAL wOBA*
|
GB%
|
Center
|
75
|
30.2
|
17.5
|
.479
|
.370
|
.484
|
.392
|
44.6
|
Opposite
|
52
|
21
|
24.5
|
.265
|
.320
|
.260
|
.334
|
41.2
|
Pull
|
121
|
48.8
|
9.2
|
.282
|
.302
|
.344
|
.372
|
63.9
|
*LHB only
Table 5 – J.C. Rodriguez’s 2015 Batted Ball Direction Splits
vs. LHP
Batted Ball
Direction
|
PA
|
%
|
AB/XBH
|
BABIP
|
SAL BABIP*
|
wOBA
|
SAL wOBA*
|
GB%
|
Center
|
19
|
23.5
|
0 XBH
|
.211
|
.326
|
.196
|
.347
|
35.3
|
Opposite
|
24
|
29.6
|
0 XBH
|
.273
|
.262
|
.254
|
.282
|
50
|
Pull
|
38
|
46.9
|
6.3
|
.395
|
.344
|
.419
|
.428
|
61.1
|
*RHB Only
At
the plate, J.C. is a switch hitter, and he was significantly better from the
left side last year. He’s a pull hitter from both sides, but all 3 of his
homeruns came from the left side. Also, he managed extra bases hits to the
whole field from the left side, whereas all of his extra base hits from the
right side were pulled to LF. Further, he’s been much better from the left side in 4 of
5 seasons, so maybe he drops the switch hitter routine eventually, although
that’s no guarantee he’ll be better against LHP. As
I mentioned with Tomas Nido, the platoon splits could work to his advantage
in a bench role, because at least he’s good against one side.
You
can get a sense of his good speed from the left side in this bunt
single from 4/23, but unfortunately a bunt single can’t be used as a
baseline for home-to-1B times. Although he only stole bases at a 68% success
rate last year, that represents a step forward for Rodriguez, who was 23-38
(60.5%) coming in. He needs to keep improving in this area, but he has the
speed to be a useful base stealer and base runner off the bench, which helps. Obviously,
whether he can become more than an org. guy comes down to whether or not he can
become more consistent offensively, but the rest of his game would make for a
nice utility infielder.
Astromets Mind Coverage
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