Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez is a retired professional baseball player who played as a catcher in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for 21 seasons. He was born on November 30, 1971, in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.
Rodriguez began his MLB career in 1991 when he was only 19 years old, playing for the Texas Rangers. He quickly established himself as one of the best catchers in the league, earning 14 All-Star selections and 13 Gold Glove Awards over the course of his career. He was also awarded the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 1999 while playing for the Rangers.
Throughout his career, Rodriguez played for six different teams, including the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Washington Nationals. He was known for his strong arm and defensive skills, as well as his ability to hit for both power and average.
Rodriguez helped lead the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 2003, and he also played in two other World Series with the Texas Rangers in 1997 and the Detroit Tigers in 2006. He retired from baseball in 2011 with a career batting average of .296, 311 home runs, and 1,332 runs batted in.
In 2017, Rodriguez was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, solidifying his status as one of the greatest catchers in the history of the game.
