Rodriguez was signed by the Texas Rangers as an amateur free agent in 1988 and made his MLB debut in 1991. He quickly established himself as one of the best defensive catchers in the game, winning his first Gold Glove Award in 1992. He also showed promise as a hitter, batting .300 or better in three of his first four seasons.
In 1999, Rodriguez had his best season, batting .332 with 35 home runs and 113 RBIs, leading the Rangers to their first playoff appearance in franchise history. He was named the American League MVP and won his second Gold Glove Award.
Rodriguez continued to be one of the best catchers in the game throughout the 2000s, making the All-Star team in each of the first 10 seasons of the decade. He also won four more Gold Glove Awards and three more Silver Slugger Awards.
In 2009, Rodriguez signed with the Washington Nationals and became the first catcher in MLB history to catch 2,500 games. He retired in 2011 after playing 21 seasons in the major leagues.
Rodriguez was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017. He is one of the most decorated catchers in MLB history and is widely considered to be one of the greatest catchers of all time.
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