BSN Exclusive: Brendan Rodgers dishes on his development, teammate says he's ready for The Show

HARTFORD, Conn. – Wednesday night marked the third consecutive year Brendan Rodgers was selected to play in his league’s All-Star Game.

This Sunday will mark the second consecutive year the third overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft will represent the Colorado Rockies in the All-Star Futures Game, a showcase game highlighting baseball’s top prospects that began in 1999.

In being selected, Rodgers will join a special group of Rockies players to have appeared on two All-Star Futures Game rosters, a feat accomplished just six times previously for the franchise: Ben Petrick (1999-2000), Jorge de la Rosa (2002-2003), Carlos Gonzalez (2006-2007), Willin Rosario (2010-2011), Nolan Arenado (2011-2012), and Raimel Tapia (2015-2016).

In last year’s parade of prospects at Marlins Park in Miami, Rodgers was spectacular in limited action. He started the game at second base for the U.S. team and batted ninth in the order, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly in his first plate appearance and hitting a single in the fourth, later coming around to score a run that would give his team a 5-0 lead.

The former high school all-American even delivered on the defensive side of the ball, making an impressive diving stop off the bat of the slugging Padres first base prospect, Josh Naylor.

“It was unbelievable,” Rodgers told BSN Denver, of his time at the game. “Probably one of the best experiences that I could imagine. It was about as big league as I can think of the big leagues being. Obviously, I’ve never been there. It was on a big league field— pretty much a brand new stadium—and a big league clubhouse.”

The Path Begins

When you’re deemed the best high school player in the country by the cognoscenti of baseball, one might think one is destined for stardom. Such a foregone conclusion has been the downfall of countless “can’t miss” amateurs and minor-leaguers.

In 2015, the shortstop from Winter Park, Fla., was considered the most talented amateur in the country by several prospect pundits. With the first overall pick in that year’s draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks opted to select a more polished player, Vanderbilt’s Dansby Swanson. The Houston Astros followed suit and chose LSU’s Alex Bregman with the second pick.

Fully aware of the long process in developing high school players, the Rockies opted to take the 18-year-old Rodgers out of Lake Mary High School with the third overall pick.

While Swanson and Bregman finished high school and went on to play Division I baseball in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as 19-year-olds, Rodgers was sent packing to the western slope of Colorado to play in the short-season Pioneer League at 18.

As one the youngest members of the Grand Junction Rockies, he struggled during the early parts of his first professional season, hitting just .233 (17-for-73) during the first half. It was a major adjustment for Rodgers from the amateur ranks to the pressures of professional baseball.

“I was just trying to get out there and have fun and get used to the pro lifestyle. I had an OK year. I just struggled with injuries and as the years progressed on, I learned how to take care of my body and that was one of the biggest things was trying to just be on the field. That’s where you’re going to succeed the most, is if you’re on the field,” he said.

Rodgers rebounded with 22 hits in his next 70 at-bats (.314) during the second half of that first season. His final totals were behind many of his teammates, but considering he was about three years younger than average GJ Rockies player, he drew good marks.

After a session of batting practice, while preparing for a game against Eastern League rival Richmond this summer, the 21-year-old was asked if this second half success was due to improved health or simply adjustments in becoming a professional.

“I would say adjustments of being a pro. And just confidence. I didn’t really know what I was getting into coming out of high school. I started getting a little more feel for it. And it turned out better in the second half.”

All-Star Life

The 2016 season for Rodgers was spent in Low-A with Asheville of the South Atlantic League, at historic McCormick Field.

Though a brief DL stint in May scaled back his games-played during the first half, Rodgers did enough to be named to the SAL All-Star Team.

At season’s end, Rodgers tallied 19 home runs, 73 runs batted in and a .281 batting average, finishing in the top 10 of the league in runs, hits, doubles, home runs and slugging percentage.

Rodgers received several awards during that offseason. He earned the Most Outstanding Prospect award from the South Atlantic League and was named to the Annual All-Star Team, a Rockies Organization All-Star and Baseball America’s Low-A All-Star Team.

If 2016 did not legitimize Brendan Rodgers as a top prospect, the start of 2017 season would christen him as a future star in this game.

With High-A Lancaster JetHawks of the California League, Rodgers would hit 12 home runs with 47 runs batted in on his way to a .387/.407/.671 slash line in just 51 games during the first half.

He was named the league’s Player of the Month in May and won the league’s Player of the Week three times in a five-week span between May 14 -June 11. During this period, he assembled a 23-game hit streak between May 2-June 15, second longest in the CAL in 2017.

With little else to prove, he was sent to Double-A Hartford on June 22, after playing in the CAL All-Star game.

The Yard Goat

In a little over a year at Hartford, Rodgers has shown himself to be productive. In 120 games at Double-A entering their break, he has 23 home runs, 75 runs batted in and 66 runs scored to go along with a .267/.329/.480 slash line.

When Rodgers advanced from High-A last year, he mentioned the many differences in play following his promotion.

“Pitching and defense are the two biggest things that I’ve noticed,” he said. “Outfielders are running more balls down that you think are probably hits and infielders are making diving plays and whatnot on the infield. Pitchers, bullpen guys, having better stuff, in general. Same with the starters. More velocity and being able to command the zone, in and out. You just got to be patient. Usually, you’re going to get one pitch in an at-bat, you just try not to miss it.”

Stadium size is also a factor as prospects advance closer to the Major Leagues. Not only is the capacity of crowds within each park a change, but the expanse behind a second deck and other unique ballparks features can be a challenge.

“Pop flies are one of the main (challenges). We have a tough hitter’s eye (at Dunkin Donuts Park). When the sun’s setting, first couple innings, hitting is a little a tough to get used to,” he said. “But, when you get used to it, get some at-bats, it gets a little better. Everyone dreads when the sun is shining right onto that green hitter’s eye with the glare. It’s pretty tough. I warn everyone when they step in the box.”

Adjustments and Adaptations

If it’s not bad enough that a ballpark can be your own worst enemy, consider the ferocity of Mother Nature.

One of the bigger challenges Rodgers faced came at the start of the 2018 season, his second with the Yard Goats. Temperature on opening day was 39 degrees without a single ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds above Dunkin’ Donuts Park.

Inclement weather throughout the entire northeast made finding a rhythm difficult. In April, consecutive games were canceled, in separate cities, in different states.

For the Florida native, it was a small taste of what playing baseball in Colorado at Coors Field can be like in the spring.

“It was brutal,” he said. “It was something you’ve just got to play through. It was more mental than physical. If you tell yourself it’s not cold, you just can’t think it’s that cold. You’ve got to prepare yourself, wear whatever you need to wear to protect your body. The other side is just mental. You’ve got to grind through it. That first month, month-and-a-half was tough. It showed everyone. We struggled as a team, overall. But we bounced back when it started to warm up. I think that’s what we were waiting for was some warmer weather.”

Rodgers is careful to not develop any of the bad habits that can plague young players in their early careers.

Consider his time spent in hitter-friendly ballparks, such as those in Asheville and Lancaster. His approach has been the same no matter the location and tries to break any of the bad habits as soon as they should develop.

What are those bad habits he’s working through?

“Maybe just trying to pull the ball too much,” he admits. “When I get in trouble, it’s exactly that: I pull the ball. I get pull happy. I’ve just got to stay in the middle of the field, use the whole field. That’s when I’m at my best is when I use the entire field. I just try to stay as consistent as I can using the whole field.”

Should Rodgers get a chance to play substantial games at The Lab, home of the Albuquerque Isotopes, his use of the whole field could quickly double his career total of seven triples.

On The Defense

The biggest development for Rodgers during four seasons in the minors has been his defensive flexibility. Drafted as a shortstop, Rodgers played exclusively at the position in year one. He got an opportunity to play 24 games at second base in 2016, compared to 56 at shortstop that year.

At his next stops in Lancaster and Hartford, Rodgers played many fewer games at second base.

In 2018, Rodgers embarked on learning a new position: third base.

Rodgers has actually started more games at third base than at second base this season, 17-to-15, and has only played 59% of his innings in the field at shortstop during the first half, down from 89% last year.

This flexibility is welcomed by the young fielder.

“Bouncing around all over the place, I just love learning new positions and new things,” he says. “I love getting input from our manager and people high up about certain things at certain positions. Second base, I’ve been playing there since Low-A. Third base is new this year, but I feel pretty good over there. I think I’ve played about 15 games there and I feel pretty good.”

When pressed, Rodgers feels his best position is the one most familiar to him.

“I would still say shortstop. I’ve played shortstop my whole life. I feel most comfortable there.”

It’s this ability to adjust that have coaches and fellow players alike commending Rodgers for what he brings to the park everyday, as an infielder, hitter, and teammate.

After a Yard Goats victory in late June saw Rodgers go 2-for-4 with a double and run scored, manager Warren Schaeffer showered praise upon the top prospect.

“Brendan’s great,” he beemed. “He never takes an at-bat off. He’s a fantastic hitter. His defense has gotten so much better this year. He’s a complete all-around player. His speed plays now. I’ve got only good things to say about Rodgers.”

Though the $5.5 million investment made by the Rockies has yet to see return at the major-league level, Yonathan Daza, member of the Rockies 40-man roster, thinks the first returns for the organization could come sooner than later.

“I like him,” he says. “I’ve got a good relationship with him. Last year, I went to his house in Florida and worked out with him a little bit. For me, I think he’s ready to play in the big leagues and do what he does here.”