A spinal implant system for use in immobilizing adjacent vertebral bodies in a minimally invasive manner, including a pair of implants having lengths sufficient so that one of the ends extend outside of a patient's body when the implants are installed. Each implant has a pair of opposed elongated posts which in conjunction with an orthogonally arranged support surface define a transverse opening for receiving a stabilizing rod. A cap having upper and lower surfaces is associated with each implant, each cap and its associated post has means for advancing the cap along the posts toward the support surface to lock a stabilizing rod therebetween. The rod is pivotally coupled to one of the caps so that the rod, when pivoted, will extend between the transverse openings in adjacently installed implants.