Douglas Rodriguez

Douglas Rodriguez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 162 lb.

• Born January 13, 1986 in Ocumare del Tuy, Miranda Venezuela

Biographical Information

Douglas Rodriguez has been a player in the French Division I for a decade (as of 2016). He has led the league in average, hits (twice), RBI, total bases, doubles and triples.

Rodriguez came to France in 2007 to play for the Paris Université Club. He hit .323/.382/.419 that summer, but fielded only .928 at catcher and threw out 17% of those who tried to steal. In 2008, his offense was somewhat better (.321/.372/.527, 11 2B in 37 G). Playing every position except 1B and 2B, he fielded .923 at catcher (his main spot again) and only caught 11% of attempted base thieves. The team fell out of France's top league for 2009 due to promotion and relegation processes.

Back in the top league for 2010, he was again a key player for Paris. He hit .368/.439/.505, finishing tied for second in triples (4), 6th in average (between Joris Bert and Ernesto Martínez) and sixth in slugging (between Florian Peyrichou and Bert). He fielded .929 and allowed 21 steals in 22 tries. In 2011, he emerged as one of the top hitters in France, producing at a .429/.462/.571 clip with 21 runs in 24 games. He fielded .978 and threw out 20% of those who attempted to run on him. He was second in average (.010 behind Peyrichou), 6th in slugging (between Devon Franklin and Peyrichou), 9th in OBP (between Frédéric Hanvi and Jean-Michel Mayeur), tied for sixth in home runs (2), 6th in hits (36, between Alejandro Zuaznabar and Sébastien Morgavi) and tied Zuaznabar for 8th with 48 total bases.

In 2012, he again topped .400 - .434/.469/.611, with 29 runs and 33 RBI in 28 games. He fielded .979, threw out 20.6% of those who tried to steal and pitched more often (2-2, 6.43, 23 BB in 21 IP). He was 3rd in the league in average, 3rd in slugging (behind Ethan Paquette and Martínez), tied Paquette for the RBI lead, led in hits (49, 6 more than the runner-up), was 4th in runs (between Bert and Martínez), 5th in OBP, tied for 3rd with 3 homers, was second in doubles (10, trailing Paquette), was second in total bases (70, again behind Paquette) and was 6th with 9 steals.

He slipped somewhat in 2013 - .324/.374/.556, 38 RBI in 28 G; .974 FLD%, 0-1, 9.88. He was still second in slugging (.005 off the pace), tied for 8th in runs (23), led in RBI (38, 8 ahead of the #2 player), tied for second in doubles (10), led in triples (6), tied for second in total bases (60, 2 behind Hanvi) and was 6th in steals (again with 9). In 2014, he hit .385/.454/.500 and fielded .932. He was 6th in average (between Boris Marche and Maxime Lefevre), 7th in slugging, 9th in OBP, 4th in hits (40), tied for 6th in doubles (9) and 5th in total bases (82).

He was even more dominant in 2015, producing at a .435/.470/.601 clip with 21 doubles, 26 runs and 34 RBI in 34 games. He fielded .978 and caught 20% of attempted base-thieves. He won the batting title (.025 ahead of Alan Fanhoni) and also led in hits (60, by 12), doubles (by 8 over Larry Infante and Fanhoni) and total bases (83, two more than Infante). He was second in slugging (.062 behind Fanhoni) and RBI (3 behind Infante), 4th in OBP (between Fanhoni and Bastien Dagneau) and 9th in runs (between Felix Brown and Romain Martinez-Scott). In the 2015 European Cup, he was 8 for 16 with two doubles, a triple, two runs and four RBI in five games for the hosts. He tied Mario Chiarini for 3rd in the pool in average, was 5th in slugging (between fellow Venezuelan catcher Guillermo Rodriguez and Joe Mazzuca), tied Linoy Croes for 4th in OBP, tied for 4th in hits and was fifth in total bases.

Rodriguez made the French national team for the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in March 2016 as a player who had spent several years in France's top circuit, making him eligible given the looser criteria for the World Baseball Classic and its qualifiers. At the time, he expressed interest in bringing his family to France and obtaining French citizenship, which would also enable him to play for France in other events. Playing left field (Andy Paz was the catcher), he went 4 for 11 with a RBI and two errors. He was third among France's qualifying players in average, behind Hanvi and Martínez.