Former Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez is among 19 first-time candidates on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, unveiled Monday.
Rodriguez spent 13 of his 21 major-league seasons with the Rangers. In that time, he won the American League Most Valuable Player award in 1999, had 10 All-Star appearances and received 10 Gold Gloves for his defensive work and six Silver Sluggers as the top offensive catcher in the AL.
Three other players who appeared with the Rangers are also on the ballot: Vlad Guerrero, Arthur Rhodes and Sammy Sosa. Rodriguez and Sosa both began their careers in the Rangers' organization.