SEATTLE -- Julio Rodríguez wasn’t exaggerating last week when he used the word “parade” describing what he anticipated upon returning to his hometown of Loma de Cabrera in the Dominican Republic.

The town with a population of roughly 20,000 in the Dajabón province put on a massive celebration for the newly minted American League Rookie of the Year Award winner on Sunday evening for his first trip home since reaching the Majors.

Rodríguez was greeted by friends and family at the airport donning a retro Mariners cap with the 2022 postseason logo, then he later rode in a motorcade through the streets of town, standing alone with his head out of the sunroof in a black SUV as fans honked and cheered.

As the day turned to evening, Rodríguez took to a stage in front of a large crowd and thanked them for their support, then a band played as everyone danced deep into the night to merengue, a type of music and dance that originated in the D.R. For such a small region, it was a massive turnout.

Rodríguez, who takes great pride in his native roots, became the eighth Dominican-born player to win the Rookie of the Year Award in either league last Monday. Receiving 29 of the 30 first-place votes by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, Rodríguez is the fifth in Mariners history to take home the hardware.