▁Jr ., ▁and ▁his ▁favorite ▁team ▁was ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁M ets . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁Alex ' s ▁fresh man ▁year ▁at ▁Christopher ▁Columb us ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ ▁Miami , ▁he ▁transferred ▁to ▁West min ster ▁Christian ▁School , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁star ▁short stop ▁on ▁the ▁baseball ▁team ▁and ▁played ▁quarter back ▁on ▁the ▁football ▁team . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 0 0 ▁games ▁he ▁batt ed ▁. 4 1 9 ▁with ▁ 9 0 ▁st olen ▁bases . ▁West min ster ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁high ▁school ▁national ▁championship ▁in ▁his ▁junior ▁year . ▁He ▁was ▁first ▁team ▁prep ▁All - American ▁as ▁a ▁senior , ▁hitting ▁. 5 0 5 ▁with ▁nine ▁home ▁runs , ▁ 3 6 ▁runs ▁batt ed ▁in ▁( R B Is ), ▁and ▁ 3 5 ▁st olen ▁bases ▁in ▁ 3 5 ▁attempts ▁in ▁ 3 3 ▁games . ▁He ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁USA ▁Baseball ▁Junior ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁and ▁as ▁G ator ade ' s ▁national ▁baseball ▁student - ath lete ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Rod rig uez ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁high ▁school ▁player ▁to ▁ever ▁try ▁out ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁national ▁baseball ▁team . ▁He ▁was ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁top ▁prospect ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁Rod rig uez ▁signed ▁a ▁letter ▁of ▁intent ▁to ▁play ▁baseball ▁for ▁Miami ▁of ▁Florida ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁rec ru ited ▁by ▁Miami ▁to ▁play ▁quarter back ▁for ▁its ▁football