Career Awards & Highlights

Awards and Honors:

Most Gold Gloves by a Catcher
10 Ivan Rodriguez 1992-2001,
Johnny Bench 1968-1977

AL MVP: 1999
Gold Glove: 1992-2001
Silver Slugger: 1994-1999
All-Star Game: 1992-2001
Rangers Man of the Year: 1998
Rangers Player of the Year: 1995
Rangers Jim Sundberg Community Achievement Award: 2001
Rangers Rookie of the Year: 1991
Rangers Player of the Month: April 2000, August 1999 (split with Rafael Palmeiro), April 1998 (split with Juan Gonzalez)
AL Player of the Week: April 27-May 3, 1998
AL Player of the Month: April 1998, August 1999
Baseball Digest Player of the Year: 1999
Tulsa Drillers Wall of Fame: 2000
DASA Field Scovell Award: 1999/2000
All-Star Game leading vote-getter (both leagues): 2000
The Sporting News' All-Time American League Team: 2001

Records:

First player to lead his team in games caught at both ages 19 & 20 (1991, 1992)
First player born in 1970s to appear in an All-Star Game (1992)
Most doubles by a Major League catcher (1996): 47
Most at-bats by a Major League catcher (1996): 639
First catcher in history to have 3 hits in an All-Star Game (1998)
Most home runs by an American League catcher (1999): 35
First 20 HR/20 SB catcher in history (1999): 35 HR, 25 SB
First American League catcher with 30 home runs, 100 RBI, and 100 runs scored (1999): 35 HR, 113 RBI, 116 R
Highest caught stealing percentage (1999): 54.2%
Most Gold Gloves by an American League catcher (2001): 10
First American League catcher and first Puerto Rican native to be leading vote-getter for All-Star Game (2000): 2,808,456 votes

Odds & Ends:

Was married the same day he made his Major League debut (June 20, 1991).

Established Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez Foundation in 1993 to help underprivileged youngsters, with special emphasis on children battling cancer.

Highlights

Contract Status: Signed through 2002

2002 Salary: $10.05 Million

2001: Won his 10th straight Rawlings Gold Glove...Appeared in his 10th straight All-Star Game, his 9th straight start behind the plate, tying Johnny Bench for the all-time catchers' records in both categories. Is the 2nd-youngest 10-time Gold Glove recipient at any position in history behind Bench...Was on the disabled list from May 3-17 for a severe bone bruise in his heel...Season ended prematurely for the second straight year on September 8th after undergoing surgery to repair patella tendinitis in his left knee.

2000: Was major leagues' leading vote-getter for 2000 All-Star Game in Atlanta with 2,808,456 votes...Was first American League catcher, first Puerto Rican native, and first Ranger to accomplish that feat...All-Star appearance was his 8th straight start and 9th straight overall...Won 9th straight Gold Glove Award, leaving him one behind Johnny Bench for most all-time...His .347 batting average was highest in club history among players with at least 100 at-bats...Season was cut short on July 24th after suffering a broken right thumb.

1999: Elected 1999 AL MVP...Won 8th Gold Glove (2nd highest total for catchers) and 6th Silver Slugger...Had second-highest hits total for catchers in history with 199...Had most homers by an AL catcher in history with 35...Became first catcher in history with 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in the same season...Selected to his 8th straight All-Star Game...Set new team record and personal best with 9 RBI on April 13.

1998: Led the club with a .321 average to go along with 40 doubles, 21 HR and 91 RBI in 579 at-bats...Was perfect in nine stolen base attempts...Had highest batting average for a qualifying catcher since 1979...Threw out 42 of 80 (52.5%) of runners trying to steal...Elected to seventh All-Star Game...Was first catcher in history to have 3 hits in an All-Star Game.

1997: Set Ranger record with 20 homers by a catcher...Won American League Silver Slugger Award for fourth straight season, the first catcher so honored...Also won his sixth-straight Gold Glove Award, tying the mark for most ever by an American League catcher....313 average was highest by a regular American League catcher since Carlton Fisk hit .315 in 1977...Led American League catchers in batting average, hits, and runs...Threw out 52% of runners attempting to steal.

1996: Set the all-time major league record for doubles by a catcher with 47...Set major league record for at-bats by a catcher with 639...Established team records for homers (19) and RBI (83) by a catcher...Had a career-high 19 game hitting streak from May 28-June 19...Hit .375 with 2 RBI in first postseason appearance...Was a member of the Major League Baseball All-Star Team that played a series in Japan after the season.

1995: Was the Rangers Player of the Year...Led the club in batting (.303), total bases (221), and doubles (32)...Was highest average ever for a Texas catcher and was first catcher to ever lead the Rangers in batting...Had first career 2-homer game on July 13 with both blasts coming off Roger Clemens.

1994: Led AL catchers in hitting at .298...Tied for third in doubles (19) and was 4th in hits (108), runs (56), and homers (16) on the club...Batted .311 in last 82 games.

1993: Hit .352 in his first 22 games...Had 8 straight hits (with one walk) from July 26-28, tying club record...Named MVP of Puerto Rican Winter League All-Star Game.

1992: Was the majors' youngest player for second straight year...Became only player in history to lead his team in games caught at both ages 19 and 20...Ranked third among AL backstops with a .260 average.

1991: Became youngest player in the majors at 19 years, 7 months when promoted from AA Tulsa on June 20...Was youngest Ranger to hit a homer at 19 years, 9 months on August 30...Unanimously selected as Rangers Rookie of the Year and finished fourth in the BBWAA's AL Rookie voting...Selected to Texas League All-Star team despite being called up in June.

1990: Selected as Florida State League's All-Star catcher and on Baseball America's class A All-Star team...Was named as both the top overall prospect and best defensive catcher in the FSL by Baseball America.

1989: First professional season...Was Gastonia's regular catcher...Led South Atlantic League catchers in assists (96) and was second in putouts (691) and total chances (798).

Amateur Background: Played for Lino Padron Rivera High School (Vega Baja, PR)...Signed with Texas at the age of 16 on July 27, 1988.

Awards Courtesy of TexasRangers.com