MLB Pipeline and Baseball America each released their minor league All-Star selections for the 2022 season on Monday. Both lists named Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez as the first-team All-Star at the catcher position.
The 22-year-old Rodriguez began the season with High-A Greensboro, where he hit .302/.392/.544 in 88 games. That was even after a slow start to the season that saw him put up a .652 OPS in April. Whether it was a coincidence or not, his improvements seemed to coincide with the Pirates letting him concentrate more often on catching. He was learning first base in April, but never played the spot after April 26th, while seeing less time at second base and left field at the same point. He last played outfield on July 1st.
Rodriguez was promoted to Double-A Altoona in August, where he hit .356/.442/.678 in 31 games. When the Altoona season ended and Triple-A Indianapolis still had nine games left, Rodriguez was among a group of players who moved up for more action. He played six games for the Indians, hitting .455/.435/.773 in 23 plate appearances. Between all three stops, he hit .323/.407/.590 in 125 games, with 92 runs, 39 doubles, four triples, 25 homers, 95 RBIs and 60 walks.
Pipeline’s list can be found here.
Baseball America’s list can be found here. They not that he had the highest OPS in the minors over the final three months of the season.
