BSN Exclusive: Rodgers gets candid about adjustments in becoming a major leaguer

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DENVER – After being selected by the Colorado Rockies with the third overall pick of the 2015 MLB Draft, it took Brendan Rodgers just under four years to traverse the road to the majors.

With stops in Grand Junction, Asheville, Lancaster, Hartford and Albuquerque, Rodgers followed his inner compass along the way while also utilizing the global positioning systems known as coaches to land in heart of Denver at 20th and Blake.

Keeping a permanent place at Coors Field is a horse of a different color.

Rodgers had a torrid start in Triple-A this year after finishing 2018 in Albuquerque where he struggled offensively in a brief 19 game spell. In 2019, he hit .356 over 35 games, reached base at a .421 clip, and had a slugging percentage of .644, one of the best in the league for OPS.

The 22-year-old was placed on the 40-man roster May 17 and was immediately penciled into the lineup, notching an RBI in his first at bat during a loss in Philadelphia. Over the next two weeks, Rodgers made nine starts over the course of thirteen games – including a start at shortstop for Trevor Story – and the Rockies would go onto a 9-4 record.

Batting .324 in the month of May with seven runs batted in, he supplanted Ryan McMahon as the regular second baseman, appearing to usher in the beginning of a flawless big league career.

Then the calendar flipped to June.

Opposing teams updated their scouting reports on him and pitchers had a better idea how to approach the young infielder. And Rodgers would start only six of the last 14 games, entering late as a defensive replacement in two others. 

“I’m kind of just struggling just because of – I would say – consistency. Having at-bats and stuff. Just swinging out of the zone right now. That’s something I’m working on everyday, just to get back to my simple approach, simple game plan in the cage and during the game,” Rodgers said of the typical growing pains of a rookie getting his first real taste of MLB.

His manager, among others, has been supportive through this stretch. “Brendan is still adjusting to the big leagues. It’s a different game, like we’ve talked about. He’s learning as he goes and it’s great to see him put the work in every day on defense. When he gets his at bats, it doesn’t look as though he’s out of sync. So, we’ll continue to do what we’re doing,” Bud Black said.

With playing time split between him and McMahon, Rodgers has been taking additional drills in the batting cages with hitting coaches Dave Magadan and Jeff Salazar in order to make up for the missing repetitions on the field.

“I’ve been hitting a lot of machine lately, whether it’s a slider machine or fastball,” Rodgers said of his process on off-days. “I kind of just mix that up. Try to take it as kind of like live at-bats. That’s helping. There’s really nothing to practice patience or being over-aggressive. Just in your flips in your routine, whoever’s flipping you throw you some balls off the plate or right on the corner and just ask him after, ‘Was that a corner?, Was that off, down, up?’ Whatever it may be. Just feed off of that and just kind of take that into the game.”

Inconsistent playing time may end up stunting his growth somewhat, but there’s a bigger picture at hand for the organization, especially when the Rockies are still in contention for a spot in the playoffs with more than half the season remaining.

“We’ll continue to distribute those at bats like we see needed to give us the best chance to win on a given night,” Black shared in regards to the situation at second base. “A lot has to do with how guys are swinging, match ups we see. If a guy needs a break, we’ll continue to do what we need to do to keep guys as sharp as possible, keep them active, keep them current. But there’s also a component of what we’re seeing and that goes into playing time.”

In the meantime, Rodgers continues to work with Magadan and Salazar to stay through the ball in the cages and keep balanced at the plate, according to him. He also has support from others who recognize the challenges in being somewhat of a part-time player for the first time since he signed up for Little League.

“I have a lot of people, coaches back home, and even coaches that are with the Rockies still, that are just kind of like, ‘Just keep doing your thing. You know you’re going to get your shot.’ That’s why I’m staying positive because I’m going to get that opportunity and I just got to take advantage of it. Just got to stay positive through your struggles and the adversity. So, I just got to keep going.”

His last two pinch hit appearances off the bench produced hits against the Cubs, including one in the 8th inning of a tie ballgame at the hallowed grounds of Wrigley Field, reminiscent of last year’s Wild Card Game. All of which suggests the promising prospect with ice in his veins doesn’t plan on going down without a fight.

As part of the learning curve for all professional athletes that make their way to becoming an everyday regular, Rodgers has a pedigree to suggest he’ll get through this stage and usher in the Rodgers Era before not too long.