Signing Breakdown: Maxi Rodriguez to Rhode Island

What all-USL midfielder Maxi Rodriguez can add to Rhode Island FC

See Rhode Island’s announcement here.

For the final two-ish months of the USL season, Rhode Island FC may have been the best team in the Championship. RIFC raced into the title game on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run and nearly took home a trophy in their expansion season. From August onward, Rhode Island posted a +11.3 expected goal margin, the second-best mark in the USL.

While defensive excellence and JJ Williams’ hot scoring stole the headlines, it was Rhode Island’s midfield that held things together. Marc Ybarra, Clay Holstad, and Zach Herivaux carved out roles and niches for themselves in between the usual No. 6-No. 8-No. 10 dichotomy, but versatility was their secret.

Now, the rich are getting richer: Rhode Island FC is adding all-USL midfielder Maxi Rodriguez, someone who combines the best aspects of Khano Smith’s East-winning central trio. Adding a player of Rodriguez’s caliber is a major statement.

Rodriguez debuted in the Championship with San Antonio FC in 2017, but he became a star in four seasons with Detroit City as they made the leap from NISA. In 2024, the 29-year-old scored 10 goals and racked up five assists for Le Rouge, but he did a bit of everything between deployments as a second striker in a 4-2-3-1 and box-to-box piece in a 3-4-3.

Amidst it all, Rodriguez was extremely progressive with his passing, physical in contesting loose balls, and dangerous in front of net. Watching the San Antonio native can remind you of the Tasmanian Devil at the best of times, but that belies Rodriguez’s sense of control: he’s incredibly active but always intentional.

While the ex-Detroit man shines by the raw numbers, his contributions are even more impressive relative to the creative burden he bore at Keyworth Stadium. Rodriguez was responsible for about 10% of Detroit’s xG and 12% of their xA in 2024, and he did so despite taking up a deeper position much of the time.

Rodriguez’s percentages doubled the xG and xA shares of RIFC’s starting midfielders; comparing their counting stats is almost misleading because Maxi had considerably more weight on his shoulder and drew considerably more defensive attention. All of that impact in Detroit, moreover, came alongside committed defensive performances.

Indeed, the 29-year-old put in 2.1 successful takeaways per game last season on top of 4.5 recoveries. He won a majority of his duel and tackle attempts amidst that flurry. Rodriguez is best thought of as a supporting defensive piece, the sort of intervenor that can partner with a staid No. 6 or contribute in a trio.

Still, it’s Rodriguez’s prodigious on-ball skills that make him an all-USL talent. No one can shepherd play upfield quite like Maxi Rodriguez.

In this sequence, Detroit is building out in 3-4-3 mode against a high 4-2-3-1 press on the other side. Wide defender Michael Bryant is on the ball here, with Rodriguez (circled) slinking between two opposing attacking mids.

A few Le Rouge players lurk as potential outlets against opposing Charleston, most notably including midfielder James Murphy. Murphy, the other Detroit center mid in this match, isn’t called out above, but he lurks behind Rodriguez as both players search for space.

Rodriguez shows to the ball as the play continues, drawing three players his way. Charleston’s press tightens up in response, but Rodriguez’s skill in the face of pressure will allow him to quickly bounce a pass back to Bryant.

Subtle, short, yet vital passes are a commonality in Rodriguez’s game. The star midfielder took 53 touches per match last season, and that came in a haltingly possessive Le Rouge side; a modest 75% passing accuracy belies Rodriguez’s efficiency.

Back in that screenshot, there’s a knock-on effect because of that Maxi-driven action at the sideline. The Battery’s compression leaves Murphy wide open down the middle. Because of Rodriguez’s movement and the smooth operation under fire, a pressure-release valve emerges.

As the play continues, Murphy gets a touch in the middle. The Battery must close him down, so the trio that previously sprinted to the sideline has to reverse course entirely. Charleston’s pressers vacate space in the act, and Maxi Rodriguez takes advantage.

Rather than make a rote return to the central midfield, Rodriguez has elected to remain at the sideline after setting up the Bryant-to-Murphy one-two. He’ll be able to receive, turn upfield, and find a teammate streaking forward against the collapsing Battery shape.

Last year, the ex-Detroit man completed 1.8 long passes per match to rank in the 78th percentile of all midfielders. Rodriguez is never afraid to turn ahead and hit an ambitious pass. It’s a talent that goes hand-in-hand with his sense for creating and occupying space. That progressivity pays off in this example, the end result of which is a terrific through that encapsulates Rodriguez’s next-level abilities.

The sequence above also highlights the distinction between the ex-Detroit man and the trio of Herivaux, Ybarra, and Holstad. All three players are very talented, but none can play quarterback in build quite like Rodriguez. Those low drops into the channels and toward the sidelines are a regularity in Rodriguez’s game, and they’ll help Rhode Island immensely.

How do you balance the new midfield? RIFC is bringing back the vast majority of their central core, and there isn’t an obvious spot where an upgrade is needed. I’d hesitantly predict that Rodriguez will displace Zach Herivaux in the No. 10ish role, but he could just as easily fill Clay Holstad’s more box-to-box spot. In a long USL season, depth is crucial, and Rhode Island has it in spades.

There’s clearly more to come in the Ocean State. Given how 2024 ended, Frank Nodarse may enter next season as the starting right wing back. Rhode Island would thus need to sign another central defender to make weight - or shift Clay Holstad into the back three, something we saw occasionally last year. Either way, trying to accommodate an excess of great players is a terrific problem to have.

At a broader level, Maxi Rodriguez moving to Rhode Island FC is, as mentioned, a major “rich getting richer” moment. Khano Smith and co. could’ve run back their preferred lineup from the postseason without any major additions and still have been a top contender. By adding Rodriguez, they’re set to rival Louisville City as the top dog in the Eastern Conference.

All-league players are hard to come by, much less all-league players like Rodriguez that can carry a team on their back. Rhode Island FC isn’t resting on their laurels ahead of their sophomore season; an all-USL signing of this caliber shows that they’re ready to make the next step as they inaugurate their stadium at Tidewater Landing.

Cover Photo Credit: Jon DeBoer / Detroit City FC