Ivan Rodriguez

Ivan Rodriguez Torres was born on November 30, 1971 in Manati, Puerto Rico. He is a catcher, currently for the New York Yankees. His nickname is Pudge, and he goes by the name Ivan Rodriguez.

High School
Ivan attended Lino Padron Rivera High School, where he was discovered by scout Luis Rosa.

Minor Leagues
Ivan signed a contract with the Texas Rangers in July 1988, at the age of 16.

He played for the Gastonia Rangers of the South Atlantic League in 1989.

Ivan made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers on June 20, 1991, and at age 17 was the youngest player to catch in a major league game that season.

After 11 excellent years, both as a defensive catcher and at the plate, Ivan signed with the Florida Marlins for one year. He then played with the Detroit Tigers from 2004-2008.

On July 30, 2008, Ivan was traded to the New York Yankees for relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth. The Yankees needed a catcher as they've lost Jorge Posada for the rest of the season.

Career Highlights
Most Valuable Player Award winner: 1999
13-time Gold Glove Award winner: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007)
7-time Silver Slugger Award winner: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004
14-time All-Star selection : 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

Personal
Ivan and his wife Maribel Rivera (married on June 20, 1991) have three children.

Edit text