Special Assistant
Iván Rodríguez, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017, has been with the Texas Rangers as a Special Assistant since February 2013. In this role, Rodríguez is involved in community and marketing initiatives on behalf of the club and undertakes special assignments in baseball operations. He also spent several years as part of the Rangers’ broadcasting team on Bally Sports Southwest.
One of the greatest catchers in Major League history, Rodríguez was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot on January 18, 2017, and was inducted on July 30 of that year. The Rangers retired his uniform number 7 on August 12, 2017, in a ceremony before a game against the Houston Astros. He was previously inducted as the 16th member of the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame on July 20, 2013. Rodríguez retired as an active player on April 23, 2012, after a 21-year career, which included a ceremony at Globe Life Park prior to a game against the New York Yankees. A life-size statue of Rodríguez stands outside the Southwest Entrance of Globe Life Field.
Rodríguez made his MLB debut with Texas on June 20, 1991, at age 19. Over his career, he batted .296 with 311 home runs and 1,332 RBIs in 2,543 games with the Rangers (1991-2002; 2009), Marlins (2003), Tigers (2004-08), Yankees (2008), Astros (2009), and Nationals (2010-11). He is one of only a handful of players—including Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, George Brett, Miguel Cabrera, Stan Musial, and Albert Pujols—to reach career minimums of a .295 batting average, 2,800 hits, 550 doubles, 300 home runs, and 1,300 RBIs.
Rodríguez holds the all-time MLB record for games caught (2,427) and earned 13 Rawlings Gold Gloves for his defensive prowess, including 10 consecutive from 1992-2001. He threw out nearly 42% of runners attempting to steal, batted .300 or higher in ten seasons, and hit 20+ home runs in five seasons. A 14-time All-Star, he started a record 12 Midsummer Classics, including nine consecutive from 1993-2001.
Signed by Texas as an amateur free agent in 1988, the native of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, compiled a .304 average with 217 home runs and 842 RBIs in 1,507 games as a Ranger. He ranks second in club history in hits (1,747), doubles (352), and multi-hit games (490), third in home runs, and fourth in triples (28), RBIs, total bases (2,806), and extra-base hits (597). Rodríguez won the 1999 American League MVP after batting .332 with 35 home runs and 113 RBIs, helping the Rangers secure their third consecutive A.L. West Division title.
After the 2002 season, Rodríguez signed with Florida, batting .297 with 85 RBIs for the 2003 World Champion Marlins and earning NLCS MVP honors. He played in the 2006 World Series with Detroit and returned to Texas in 2009 for 28 games before finishing his career in Washington in 2011.
Off the field, Rodríguez founded the Iván Rodríguez Foundation in 1993 to support charitable causes. In 2018, he hosted a disaster relief drive for Unidos Puerto Rico, raising over 1.5 million pounds of goods and $300,000, personally delivering 160,000 pounds of donations to six towns affected by Hurricane Maria. He remains active in giving back to various communities and non-profits.
Rodríguez is married to Gloria Patricia “Patry” Gomez and has three children: Iván Dereck, Amanda Christine, and Ivanna Sofia. Dereck has pitched in 57 MLB games for San Francisco (2018-20), Minnesota (2022-23), and Atlanta (2023). Rodríguez was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in February 2014 and the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame in December 2015. He also published his autobiography, *They Call Me Pudge*, in 2017.