Family-Oriented Carlos Rodriguez Shining in Gwinnett

Growing up in Venezuela, Carlos Rodriguez has always been focused on creating a better life for his family.

The Valencia native remembers spending time with his cousins and taking part in hobbies such as football and basketball during his upbringing. But he always saw baseball as his first love after being introduced to the sport at a young age.

“When I was three years old, I think, so I was pretty young,” Rodriguez recalled about when he was introduced to baseball. “It wasn’t until I was 10 when I told my mom I don’t want to study, I just want to play baseball for a living.”

When crafting his game, Rodriguez grew up idolizing another outfielder who shared his name: former Colorado Rockies star Carlos Gonzalez.

“I liked his hitting stance,” Rodriguez said. “He hit some nukes in the big leagues, so he was my favorite player.”

At the age of 16, Rodriguez was receiving interest from organizations such as the New York Mets and San Diego Padres. He would ultimately sign with the Milwaukee Brewers, changing the lives of his family forever.

“It was good for me because we didn’t have enough money to live good in Venezuela,” Rodriguez said. “So, getting that contract at 16 years old, my family’s good now and that’s all that matters for me.”

Rodriguez didn’t have to wait long after signing to make a life-altering purchase for his mother.

“I bought a house for my mom,” he said. “That was the first thing that I did so they live good now and I’m very happy for them.”

After joining the Brewers organization in 2017, Rodriguez began his career in the Dominican Summer League the next year where he was named to the league’s National League All-Star team one month later.

Soon after, he was promoted to Milwaukee’s rookie ball affiliate in the Arizona League where the 17-year-old was on his own in the U.S. for the first time.

“It was so different,” Rodriguez said. “The culture here is not the same as it is in Venezuela but I’m glad that I made the adjustment to be here and play every day here.”

Rodriguez would do more than adjust, spending the next six years rising all the way up the Brewers’ minor league system. The outfielder officially put himself on the radar as an MiLB.com Brewers Organization All-Star in both 2019 and 2023.

He eventually reached Triple-A Nashville at the end of the 2024 season where he played in 31 games. But despite hitting an impressive .284 with 52 RBIs and 17 stolen bases across Double-A and Triple-A, Rodriguez was not re-signed and became a free agent.

Rodriguez had spent his entire career with the same organization and despite frequent conversations with his agent, the Brewers did not want to add him to their 40-man roster.

Despite the abrupt ending, the now 24-year-old still holds fond memories from his time with the Brewers system.

“I have good friends over there,” Rodriguez said. “The coaching staff and the players, there’s so many good people over there.”

During free agency this off-season, Rodriguez played in the Venezuelan Winter League for a second straight year. His new manager with Magallanes was Eddie Pérez, a Major League coach with the Atlanta Braves and both a 1995 World Series Champion and 1999 NLCS MVP with the club as a catcher.

“That’s why I signed because he talked to me a lot and said we have a good group there, you’re going to be fine and play every day,” Rodriguez said. “That was the key for me to sign with this team.”

After starting the year by hitting .341 in 10 games with Double-A Columbus, Rodriguez was promoted to Gwinnett on April 18 and has continued his strong play since. Through June 21, he ranked 15^th in the International League in batting average with a team-best .300 mark. He also led the Stripers in OPS (.717).

Not long after his arrival, another Venezuelan outfielder would follow.

Rehabbing from a left ACL tear suffered the prior year, Braves’ superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. enjoyed a successful five-game stint with the Stripers in May where he shared the field with Rodriguez.

The two had spent time together during Spring Training and Rodriguez enjoyed the chance to play alongside him.

“I know him from the winter leagues but this year when I came here, he was the only [Venezuelan] player on the big-league side so we talked a lot,” Rodriguez said in an interview with Stripers broadcaster Dave Lezotte. “I was pretty happy to meet him; it was a dream come true. Last year, he was my role model, so I was happy to have him around.”

Earlier this year, Stripers manager Kanekoa Texeira referred to Rodriguez as “the blacksmith” for his ability to create.

“He’s a solid baseball player, always on base, a plus outfielder, good arm and instincts,” Texeira said. “Great human being, which is always a positive, he’s a big-leaguer in the making.”

Before joining forces in Gwinnett this season, Texeira previously faced Rodriguez on the opposite side. The pair faced off in the Southern League in 2023 and last season while Rodriguez was with Nashville.

Texeira revealed his excitement to have Rodriguez on his side this time around when the two first saw each other in spring training.

“When I saw him in Spring Training, we both we were like you finally get to be here,” Rodriguez said. “I always talk to the opposing kids every year to get to know them in case you have them. Now that I got him, I understand why a lot of people like what he does.”

Rodriguez has been a consistent presence at the top of the order with Gwinnett, never hitting lower than fourth in a game this season. Throughout the year, he’s been working on his strength to produce more extra-base hits.

“I need to get stronger and a little faster to be in the best position that I can,” Rodriguez said. “I’m swinging a little harder this year. I’m trying to get more extra-base hits so that’s what I’m working on right now.”

During much of his time with the Stripers, Rodriguez has been the lone hitting prospect ranked inside the Braves’ top 30 list by MLB.com. Currently sitting at No. 28 in those rankings, he isn’t concerned about when his Major League debut will come.

“I’m not thinking about that, I’m just trying to help this team win,” he said. “Just doing my job and everything I can control, that’s all that matters to me.”