Prospect Rodriguez day to day with hand injury

SEATTLE -- The Mariners and their promising outfield prospect, Julio Rodriguez, got a scare on Friday night when the 18-year-old was hit on the left hand by a pitch and had to be taken out of his game in the first inning for the Class A West Virginia Power.

But Mariners director of player development Andy McKay said Saturday that X-rays showed no fracture, and the youngster is listed as day to day and not expected to miss much playing time.

Rodriguez was hit in his first at-bat in the first inning Friday by Augusta starter Jake Wong, a 22-year-old right-hander. He was immediately replaced by pinch-runner Cesar Trejo.

Rodriguez is off to a red-hot start in his first season in pro ball in the United States, batting .355/.444/.452 with three doubles and three RBIs in 31 at-bats in his first nine games in the South Atlantic League.

Rodriguez debuted last year for the Mariners’ Rookie League team in the Dominican Summer League, batting .315/.404/.525 with five homers, 10 stolen bases and 36 RBIs in 59 games and is regarded as one of the bright young stars in the Mariners’ system.

He signed in July 2017 for $1.75 million as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic.

Jarred Kelenic, the Mariners’ other elite teenage outfield prospect, hit his first home run of the season in the same game on Friday. Kelenic went 1-for-5 in the 9-3 loss. The 19-year-old is hitting .176/.333/.324 with a homer, two doubles and three RBIs in his first 34 at-bats after being acquired from the Mets in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz trade.

Kelenic is the Mariners’ No. 2 rated prospect, per MLB Pipeline, while Rodriguez is listed as No. 5.