Ichiro Suzuki has high praise for Julio Rodriguez: "When I'm asked about Julio, there's really nothing bad that I can find, and that makes me mad"

Julio Rodriguez is the brightest star the Seattle Mariners have seen since Ichiro Suzuki. In his first season in the league, Rodriguez batted .284/.345/.509 with 28 home runs and 25 stolen bases.

Julio Rodriguez had a good enough season to be voted the American League Rookie of the Year. He received an outstanding 29 of the 30 first-place votes. Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles came in second.

Rodriguez was a huge part of the Seattle Mariner's success last season. They finally reached the postseason after a 20-year drought, the longest in North American professional sports.

When Ichiro was asked about Rodriguez's game, he had nothing but high praise for the young All-Star. He believes he has a bright future ahead of him.

"When I'm asked about Julio, there's really nothing bad that I can find, and that kind of makes me mad," said Ichiro Suzuku on Julio Rogriguez's talents.

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The Mariners made some noise in the postseason, beating the Toronto Blue Jays in the Wild Card round. Their momentum quickly dissolved as they faced the Houston Astros in the American League Division Series. They would get swept, 3-0.

Behind Rodriguez, the Seattle Mariners hope to make the postseason again. It won't be easy, as the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels want to get back on track this season. The AL West could be quite competitive this year.

Ichiro Suzuki working with the organization is huge for Julio Rodriguez

Not many players have had quite the accomplishments that Ichiro Suzuki has had during his 28 seasons in professional baseball. He split his time between the NPB and MLB.

Fans can get tired from just looking at his MLB accomplishments alone. He was a 10-time All-Star, AL MVP (2001), AL Rookie of the Year (2001), 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a three-time Silver Slugger. He was also a two-time AL batting champ and the 2001 AL stolen base leader. He also holds the record for most hits in a single season (262).

Suzuki is still working with the organization as a special assistant to the chairman. It's a role he has held for a couple of years. Ichiro works with various groups within the organization, like the high-performance staff and front office personnel. He also has a hand in working with both the team's prospects and seasoned veterans.

Ichiro Suzuki is the perfect person to help guide Julio Rodriguez as he ascends to being the face of the franchise.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Gaelin Leif