Julio Rodriguez put up more than $25 million pesos to help renovate a local baseball stadium in his native Dominican Republic
The Seattle Mariners organization is one of the most active franchises in baseball when it comes to giving back to its community and fans.
There are various charities and community outreach programs the organization is involved in, from both the team and individual level.
One of the faces of the Mariners franchise, Julio Rodriguez, recently took part in a major philanthropic effort in his native Dominican Republic that drew a lot of attention from various other major league players, citizens and media outlets.
Rodriguez invested over 25 million pesos (~$400,000 USD) of his own money to the renovation and reopening of Loma de Cabrera Municipal Baseball Stadium in his home town of Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic.
According to a post on "X" from Wilber Sanchez (@wilberdata), the field will now feature baseball cages, artificial turf and a professional lighting system, and amenities such as a cafeteria, bathrooms, a cistern and benches.
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The revamped stadium officially reopened Monday (Jan. 5) and Rodriguez was there to help christen the field.
Based on videos and photos from the reopening, there was a big crowd to celebrate with the M's star. Among the crowd were several of Rodriguez's peers.
Among the major leaguers past and present at the field were Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Noelvi Marte, Robinson Cano, Ronel Blanco and two of Rodriguez's teammates — pitcher Luis Castillo and Rodriguez's neighbor in the outfield, Victor Robles. Cano, despite not playing with Rodriguez in the majors, is another former Seattle player.
Several of the major leaguers helped break in the new field properly by playing a "game" on the new turf.
The renovations for the new stadium is the latest philanthropic effort for Rodriguez in his native country. Since he made his major league debut and signed a 12-year, $209.3 million contract, both in 2022, Rodriguez has remained active in his community.
In the last several years, Rodriguez has helped repair homes devastated by natural disasters and has donated ambulances, toys and baseball equipment to Dominican Republic cities.
In addition to his off-the-field contributions, Rodriguez is also considered one of the best players in the major leagues.
Rodriguez has made the All-Star game three of his four years in the majors. He has a career slash line of .274/.331/.469 with an .800 OPS. In four years, he's hit 110 doubles, nine triples and 112 home runs with 341 RBIs and 116 steals
This past season, his third All-Star season, Rodriguez slashed .267/.324/.474 with a .798 OPS and hit 31 doubles, four triples and 32 homers with 95 RBIs and 30 steals.
Rodriguez is also regarded as one, if not the best, defensive center fielder in baseball.
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