VIDEO: Pirates Rule 5 Draft Selection Is SS Josh Rodriguez

The Pittsburgh Pirates were in the drivers seat for the Rule 5 draft and with the first selection picked Josh Rodriguez.  He will be a 26-year old shortstop when he arrives in Bradenton and hit nearly .300 in the Indians organization.  (.293/.372/.486)   More video after the jump
Here is the Pirates press release: 

Rodriguez hit a combined .297 (113-for-380) with 30 doubles, 13 home runs, 57 RBI and 60 runs scored in 107 games this year between Double-A Akron and Columbus. He hit .317 (20-for-63) with seven doubles, one home run and 11 RBI while producing an .881 OPS in 21 games with Akron before finshing the year with Columbus, where he went 93-for-317 (.293 average) with 23 doubles, 12 home runs and 46 RBI along with an .858 OPS in 86 games.
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The right-handed hitting Rodriguez was selected by Cleveland with the 57th overall pick in the second round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. In his first full professional season in 2007, Rodriguez led the Carolina League in runs scored (84), ranked second in total bases (227), triples (nine) and walks (68), third in home runs (20), fourth in RBI (82) and games (133) and fifth in extra-base hits (49). He also finished third among all Indians farmhands in RBI (82) and tied for fourth in home runs (20) while being named to the Carolina League post-season All-Star Team.

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Rodriguez took home Eastern League All-Star honors in 2008 before being limited to 33 games during the 2009 campaign due to a right hamstring strain.

Rodriguez has produced a career average of .266 (443-for-1667) with 87 doubles, 24 triples, 44 home runs and 224 RBI in 455 games of professional baseball.
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