Melvin Rodriguez is in a class by himself this season on the Slammers.

Joliet’s second baseman is the only player on the team to have been in all 62 games, including the series opener Friday against Florence at Slammers Stadium.

Rodriguez knows the main reason.

“It’s more mental toughness,” he said. “You’ve got to be really hard in your mind.

“You’ve got to battle and say, ‘I know you’re tired, but you’ve got to play. You’ve got to make some plays. You’ve got to hit.’ It’s more in your mind, mindset. A positive mindset.”

Joliet manager Jeff Isom appreciates the talent and intangibles he has in the 26-year-old Rodriguez.

“He’s had times where he’s been beaten up a little bit, but he grinds it out,” Isom said. “He wants to be in the lineup. Guys aren’t always 100 percent, but he’s not afraid to go out there when he’s not 100 percent.”

Rodriguez is among a small group of players in the 12-team Frontier League who’ve played every game this year. Nine teams have only one player or none who’ve appeared in every game.

The clubs with the most players who’ve been in every game are Florence (four), Windy City (three) and Normal (two).

“Isom told me ‘You’re going to play second base for me every day,’ ” Rodriguez said. “Working every day, working hard on and off the field, that’s the most important thing. Doing everything you have to do to last longer, be in every game.”

Rodriguez was 6-for-11 in the midweek series at Gateway to raise his average to .310. His grand slam in Tuesday’s 8-4 win was his ninth home run, second on the team to Rock Shoulders (10).

Rodriguez played in 79 of 96 games last season with the Slammers and batted .260 with six home runs and 32 RBIs.

“He did well for us last year,” Isom said. “I wouldn’t say great, did very well for us. He gave us a reason to ask him back.

“We didn’t have a whole lot of guys returning. A lot of guys retired or moved on. We’ve got to bring some guys back and I like the way he played the game.”

First baseman/outfielder Edwin Gomez had been in every game this year until he suffered a groin injury Tuesday against Gateway.

“With Gomez out, we need some guys to come through,” Rodriguez said.

A native of Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, Rodriguez got used to playing a lot of baseball when he was a youngster.

“In Puerto Rico, we play the whole year,” he said. “In December, it’s preparatory. It’s like spring training. The season is January through the summer.

“We’re playing all day. It was good, learned a lot. My dad was with me every day, teaching me stuff, ‘Hey, you’ve got to work hard every day.’ ”

Rodriguez expects his teammates, especially the younger players, to do the same.

“He’s a guy who wants to win, has a fire about him,” Isom said. “He shows that in the dugout during the games. He’ll be telling guys, ‘Hey, pick it up. Let’s go, turn up the intensity.’ That type of thing.”

“He’s a good guy to have around. He’s a guy I can go to and say ‘We need to get this done,’ and he’s going to tell the rest of the team. I like him a lot.”

Tim Tierney is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.