 A native of Alquízar, Cuba, Rodríguez played in the Negro Leagues with the New York Cubans, 1939 and 1944, and in the Mexican League, 1945–46 (Riley, 676) prior to the integration of organized baseball,

Before the 1951 season, Rodríguez was acquired by the Brooklyn Dodgers from the Tuneros de San Luis Potosí of the Mexican League.He was assigned to Brooklyn's farm club, the Montreal Royals, where he batted .302.On December 6 of that same year he was traded by the Dodgers to the Chicago White Sox for first baseman Rocky Nelson.