The Light Blues star, currently on loan from AEK Athens with an option to buy, has been rewarded for his impressive performances this season with international recognition, joining Ibrox teammates Findlay Curtis and Liam Kelly in the national team setup for upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against North Macedonia and Switzerland.
McInnes hopes the 27-year-old left-back, who can also play in midfield, will feature in the games on November 13 and 16 and that he returns to his club with a couple of caps under his belt.
The Rangers manager said: “It's great for James to get into the Scotland setup. There was no real surprise with it but, nonetheless, you see James' reaction to it, and that's the way it should be getting called up for your country.
“Findlay is in there as well, as is Liam Kelly, so we're well represented. It's good for the club that they're away with Scotland, and hopefully it's a positive experience for them.
"But you know, I think James deserves it, and hopefully he can get on the pitch and come back with a couple of caps, ideally and he also comes back in good form.
"He's driven himself to get to where he is now, and I don't think anybody should ever underestimate working with hungry players.
"As soon as you become too comfortable, you can become complacent, for me. I think there is a real hunger there to establish himself [at Rangers] because he knows that Tuur Rommens isn't going to just move along.
"James can play a few different positions, but he wants to be here. He plays with loads of enthusiasm, and he plays with a hunger, and he trains with a hunger. He's had his reward for that.
"In terms of experience, I do think that age between 26 and 30, is such a pivotal age for having that influence on others. If you're one that can be at the top of your game at that age, then I think you can really do something for a manager and for a team.
"We don't have a lot in that age bracket who are currently playing. James leads by example more than anything else, and we have got a young team, but with that comes the excitement of potential, albeit sometimes you get a bit of inconsistency.
"I think James has been one who has been really consistent with his work."
When asked if there have been discussions on making Penrice’s move to Rangers permanent, McInnes explained: "I've certainly made my feelings clear on it.
“Ideally, I would have liked to have done it as a permanent, but the best way forward at the time was a loan. But I think we are all aware of what it needs to be to make it a permanent. There's a lot of goodwill all round.
“The conversations I've had with Jim and the board have been along those lines, and hopefully we can make it permanent because I think what James has done since the first minute is play with so much enthusiasm.
"Clearly he wants to be here, and he plays properly. He brings quality, but he also brings energy.
“It's actually quite ironic that he's one of our older players at 27, and a lot of these things are happening for him now: the first Scotland call-up and the rest of it.
"So, he's a player that I trust, and I think the supporters trust him. Hopefully we can make it a longer-term thing going forward, but that's for people upstairs to try and sort it out."
