▁his ▁first ▁taste ▁of ▁post season ▁play , ▁al beit ▁in ▁just ▁two ▁at - b ats . ▁Again , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁young est ▁player ▁in ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁season , ▁Rod rig uez ▁played ▁in ▁ 4 8 ▁games , ▁batt ing ▁. 2 3 2 ▁with ▁ 5 ▁home ▁runs , ▁ 1 9 ▁R BI , ▁and ▁ 4 ▁st olen ▁bases . ▁▁ 1 9 9 6 – 1 9 9 7 ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Rod rig uez ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁the ▁Mar in ers ' ▁regular ▁short stop ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁American ▁League ▁( AL ) ▁with ▁a ▁. 3 5 8 ▁batt ing ▁average , ▁the ▁highest ▁for ▁an ▁AL ▁right - hand ed ▁batter ▁since ▁Joe ▁Di M aggio ▁hit ▁. 3 8 1 ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁and ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁highest ▁ever ▁for ▁a ▁short stop . ▁He ▁also ▁had ▁ 3 6 ▁home ▁runs ▁with ▁ 1 2 3 ▁R B Is . ▁ ▁At ▁ 2 1 ▁years ▁and ▁one ▁month , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁young est ▁AL ▁batt ing ▁leader ▁ever ▁behind ▁Al ▁Kal ine ▁( 2 0 ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁and ▁Ty ▁C obb ▁( 2 0 ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁young est ▁player ▁in ▁history ▁with ▁ 3 5 + ▁hom ers . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁major ▁league