At the time of the award, Rodriguez was playing for Howard Junior College in Big Spring, Texas.

Rodriguez was an outstanding shortstop and pitcher for the Howard College Hawks and he led his team to the 1991 National Junior College World Series Championship held annually in Grand Junction, Colorado.

When his new teammates greeted him at the Elmira-Corning Regional Airport, the Brooklyn native was wearing clothes with the New York Yankees logo.

In 2008, he returned to pro baseball playing for the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League where he pitched to a 2–1 record, with 7.79 ERA.

As of 2021[update], Rodriguez is an assistant coach for the baseball team at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx, New York.