Christian Rodríguez currently plays for the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Professional Baseball League and was part of the last Cuban National Team in the last Premier 12, in a tournament in which Cuba finished in 11th place after only winning a game against Australia out of they played.
Rodríguez performed well in the preparation games prior to the Premier 12, but during the tournament he did not receive any at-bats, he only participated as a runner and was captured on one occasion in an attempted robbery. Along with him was the case of Lázaro Armenteros, who also did not take an official turn at bat.
Rodríguez has made a good impression since his arrival at the Chunichi training camp in March 2024 in Onikawa, which secured him a place in the Opening Day roster that year. With all his raw talent it is expected that by 2025 he will have a big presence with the big club. The shortstop is under team control for the next two years, which makes him a very valuable commodity.
You were called to assist the Cuban team in the Premier 12. Did you expect to called by Cuba?
When the call to the Premier 12 was made, I was in the middle of the season and it was a dream for me to participate in an event like that. They called me, they had already told me a while before that I was going to be on the team and I was super happy to be able to assist my country.
What do you think the Cuban team lacked in the Premier 12?
I think the team was missing many things, it is a totally different baseball than the one the played in Cuba, the teams are quite reinforced with professional players who play in talented leagues. I think that we have to go to these tournaments a little more prepared, know what we are going to face, because sometimes these teams take us by surprise. It is also necessary for management to insert itself into professional circuits. It is no secret to anyone that we have become stagnant in baseball, we are a little behind, that is not a secret to anyone. In today’s baseball there are a lot of analytics. These are things that you want or don’t have to put into practice, because baseball advances and gets more complicated every day, because it is a sport that is constantly evolving.
Do you think you could have had a little more playing time in the Premier 12?
We must also evaluate the shape in which players arrive at these events, regardless of the league or the level of talent. I think I could have had a little more playing time in the Premier 12, especially in a tournament in which we were already eliminated and they didn’t even give me the opportunity to even participate, I think they disrespected me in that aspect. How can they not give me the opportunity to participate in a tournament in which we are 11th out of 12? How can you not give me the opportunity to even get an at-bat? I think I was disrespected in that regard.