The Houston Astros have signed catcher John Andy Rodriguez, according to a report from Francys Romero. Rodriguez, who is 18 years old, is a switch hitting catcher from Cuba.
Rodriguez left Cuba in 2022 and after four years in the Dominican Republic, he has officially signed with the Astros. He is a Native of Matanzas and belongs to the Martínez de Félix Francisco Academy.
Rodriguez will join an international class that already saw the Astros sign some big name prospects.
New Names Impressing:
The Astros have brought in some pieces to the system this year as free agents (Jack Moss, Brandon Nigh) and trade (Marcus Brown). Moss is hitting .389 with 9 doubles, 2 home runs and 26 runs batted in over 26 games for Asheville. Brown is hitting .387 with 2 home runs in 8 games in Asheville. Nigh is hitting .294 with more walks than strikeouts for the Woodpeckers.
While the draft is important, bringing in talent in any manner is crucial to building a winning system.
