Julio Rodríguez, the Seattle Mariners’ center fielder, has taken on a new role as an amateur videographer, using a camcorder to document significant moments both on and off the field. Rodríguez was seen with his camera during the World Baseball Classic and at Ichiro Suzuki’s statue unveiling at T-Mobile Park in April.
The growing interest in this hobby highlights how professional athletes often seek creative outlets beyond their sport. For Rodríguez, recording events is not just about fun but also about preserving memories for himself and those close to him.
“It’s a fun way to just kind of document what you see, and then keep the videos for yourself,” Rodríguez said. “You never know what you can do with it.” He explained that he began picking up this hobby gradually: “I picked this up, learning how to DJ a little bit — not stepping away [from baseball], but like, kind of being more diverse than just watching anime and sometimes playing video games.”
Rodríguez started filming over the offseason while traveling through Europe and later documented facility upgrades at his childhood baseball field in the Dominican Republic. He invested $1.3 million into these improvements and captured footage of the grand opening attended by fellow Major League Baseball players Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr.
His teammates have embraced his new pastime. “All the guys loved it,” Rodríguez said. “Every time I would bring the camera out, they would always say things in front of it. And whenever I would forget it, like, they would say, ‘Whoa, go get it!’ So it was a fun time using it.” He added that he is mindful about privacy: “And everybody knows that I’m not going to be posting something stupid about somebody.”
Rodríguez prefers using dedicated cameras over smartphones because he believes people are more comfortable around them: “It’s a completely different vibe,” he said. Despite recording many moments behind-the-scenes—including batting practice and celebrations—he does not edit or share these videos publicly.
This private approach allows Rodríguez to chronicle his experiences for personal reflection rather than public consumption: “It definitely makes me feel like I’m back in the place that I was at,” he said.
