▁team . ▁Rod rig uez ▁turned ▁down ▁Miami ' s ▁baseball ▁scholar ship ▁offer ▁and ▁never ▁played ▁college ▁baseball , ▁opt ing ▁instead ▁to ▁sign ▁with ▁the ▁Seattle ▁Mar in ers ▁after ▁being ▁selected ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁amateur ▁draft ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁sevent een . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁career ▁ ▁The ▁Seattle ▁Mar in ers ▁selected ▁Rod rig uez ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁overall ▁selection ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁draft . ▁The ▁Mar in ers ▁signed ▁Rod rig uez ▁to ▁a ▁three - year ▁contract ▁worth ▁$ 1 . 3   mill ion , ▁and ▁a ▁$ 1   mill ion ▁signing ▁bonus . ▁ ▁Seattle ▁Mar in ers ▁▁ 1 9 9 4 – 1 9 9 5 ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Rod rig uez ▁made ▁his ▁professional ▁baseball ▁debut ▁as ▁a ▁minor ▁league ▁player ▁with ▁the ▁App leton ▁Fox es ▁of ▁the ▁Class ▁A ▁Mid west ▁League . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁Jackson ville ▁S uns ▁of ▁the ▁Class ▁AA ▁Southern ▁League . ▁He ▁played ▁in ▁ 1 7 ▁games ▁for ▁Jackson ville , ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁major ▁le agues . ▁On ▁July ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Rod rig uez ▁was ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁old ▁when ▁he ▁deb uted ▁in ▁the ▁major ▁le agues ▁as ▁a ▁starting ▁short stop . ▁He ▁was ▁just ▁the ▁third ▁ 1 8 - year - old ▁major ▁league ▁short