University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Photo by: Joe Harper
Former Baseball Player Isaac Rodriguez Set to Play in Olympics for Mexico
7/27/2021 2:14:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – When the sport of baseball returns to the Olympics later this week for the first time in 13 years, Southern Miss baseball fans will notice a familiar face when the Mexican National Team takes the field for its initial contest against host country Japan Thursday evening at 10 p.m. CT.
Former Golden Eagle infielder Isaac Rodriguez, who lettered from 2010-13 at the school and played his prep baseball in the United States for Cypress Bay High in Weston, Fla., calls Hermosillo, Mexico, his original home.
Following his Southern Miss graduation, Rodriguez has played his entire professional career in Mexico.
The 30-year-old infielder plays for the Toros de Tijuana of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB), of which he has been a member of since 2015. His successful tenure includes earning the league's Rookie of the Year honor in 2016, while also capturing the league's batting crown in 2018 with a .394 batting average. In addition, Rodriguez holds the all-time lead in hits for the club with 531.
This season, before he was called away for the Olympics, Rodriguez registered a .387 batting average with three homers and 20 RBI in 47 games for Tijuana. His entire professional career, which also includes five winter ball seasons and an appearance in the Caribbean Series, has seen him play in 747 games and posted a .318 batting average with 39 home runs, 280 RBI to go along with an OPS of .803.
Prior to his professional career, Rodriguez collected American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region second-team honors at second base in his senior season with the Golden Eagles.
Rodriguez, who led Conference USA in hitting with a .348 average in 2013, started and played in 56 of the Golden Eagles' 57 games that spring. He tallied a team-best 15 doubles, two home runs and added 30 runs batted in, while also producing the team's longest hitting streak of 21 games down the stretch.
That season, he helped lead the Golden Eagles that season to their second C-USA regular season title in three years, as well as to the league's postseason championship game. He also enjoyed two trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2010 and 2011.
The first-team All-Conference USA performer as a senior also tied for the league lead in on-base percentage at .441, along with being tied for eighth in the league in both doubles and hit by pitches (12), while also ranking ninth in slugging percentage (.453).
Rodriguez also added a stellar season defensively, registering a .983 fielding percentage in committing just five errors in 300 fielding chances to complete his four-year career.
Over his four seasons with the Golden Eagles, which spanned 186 games including 162 starts, Rodriguez enjoyed a .308 batting average with 35 doubles, four home runs and 81 RBI.
The Olympic baseball competition opens Wednesday, July 28, as host Japan takes on the Dominican Republic. There are six total countries vying for a chance at a Gold Medal in Tokyo and the teams were put into two pools.
Mexico is in a pool with Japan and the Dominican Republic, while the United States are paired with Israel and Korea. Click here for a complete schedule of the baseball competition.
The Olympics are yet another highlight of Rodriguez in an already celebrated baseball career as Mexico looks to capture its first medal in the sport in the world's most recognizable sporting competition.
Former Golden Eagle infielder Isaac Rodriguez, who lettered from 2010-13 at the school and played his prep baseball in the United States for Cypress Bay High in Weston, Fla., calls Hermosillo, Mexico, his original home.
Following his Southern Miss graduation, Rodriguez has played his entire professional career in Mexico.
The 30-year-old infielder plays for the Toros de Tijuana of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB), of which he has been a member of since 2015. His successful tenure includes earning the league's Rookie of the Year honor in 2016, while also capturing the league's batting crown in 2018 with a .394 batting average. In addition, Rodriguez holds the all-time lead in hits for the club with 531.
This season, before he was called away for the Olympics, Rodriguez registered a .387 batting average with three homers and 20 RBI in 47 games for Tijuana. His entire professional career, which also includes five winter ball seasons and an appearance in the Caribbean Series, has seen him play in 747 games and posted a .318 batting average with 39 home runs, 280 RBI to go along with an OPS of .803.
Prior to his professional career, Rodriguez collected American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region second-team honors at second base in his senior season with the Golden Eagles.
Rodriguez, who led Conference USA in hitting with a .348 average in 2013, started and played in 56 of the Golden Eagles' 57 games that spring. He tallied a team-best 15 doubles, two home runs and added 30 runs batted in, while also producing the team's longest hitting streak of 21 games down the stretch.
That season, he helped lead the Golden Eagles that season to their second C-USA regular season title in three years, as well as to the league's postseason championship game. He also enjoyed two trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2010 and 2011.
The first-team All-Conference USA performer as a senior also tied for the league lead in on-base percentage at .441, along with being tied for eighth in the league in both doubles and hit by pitches (12), while also ranking ninth in slugging percentage (.453).
Rodriguez also added a stellar season defensively, registering a .983 fielding percentage in committing just five errors in 300 fielding chances to complete his four-year career.
Over his four seasons with the Golden Eagles, which spanned 186 games including 162 starts, Rodriguez enjoyed a .308 batting average with 35 doubles, four home runs and 81 RBI.
The Olympic baseball competition opens Wednesday, July 28, as host Japan takes on the Dominican Republic. There are six total countries vying for a chance at a Gold Medal in Tokyo and the teams were put into two pools.
Mexico is in a pool with Japan and the Dominican Republic, while the United States are paired with Israel and Korea. Click here for a complete schedule of the baseball competition.
The Olympics are yet another highlight of Rodriguez in an already celebrated baseball career as Mexico looks to capture its first medal in the sport in the world's most recognizable sporting competition.
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