Adam Rodriguez Set To Join Cast Of ‘Criminal Minds’ As Series Regular Next Season

Adam Rodriguez has joined the cast for season 12 of the hit series Criminal Minds, CBS announced on Wednesday.

Adam Rodriguez Joins ‘Criminal Minds’ Cast As Series Regular

Rodriguez will play a character who is a special agent from the FBI Fugitive Task Force — he becomes an addition to the Behavioral Task Force and makes his debut in the season 12 premiere.

“We’re thrilled to introduce a new special agent by adding the very talented Adam Rodriguez to our amazing cast,” Erica Messer, Criminal Minds executive producer and show-runner, announced in a statement. “We have exciting storylines planned for his character and the entire BAU team as we head into our 12th season.”

Rodriguez will star alongside Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Matthew Gray Gubler, A.J. Cook and Kirsten Vangsness. His addition comes after former Criminal Minds star Shemar Moore‘s unexpected exit in season 11. Moore had been with the show since the first season and said he was looking to do new projects.

“We’re all big fans of Adam’s and are excited to welcome him back to the CBS family as part of the terrific cast of Criminal Minds,” Glenn Geller, president of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement.

Rodriguez recently recurred on Jane the Virgin and Empire. He’s spent 11 seasons on the earlier CBS crime procedural CSI: Miami as Eric Delko.