TRACK RECORD: Rodgers was the top prospect in the 2015 draft thanks to his precocious hitting ability, promising power potential and ability to stick up the middle defensively. The Rockies drafted him third overall, behind Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman, and signed him for a franchise-record $5.5 million. While Swanson and Bregman have found success in the big leagues, Rodgers’ career has stalled due to injuries. Shoulder surgery limited his big league time in 2019 to just 25 games and resulted in him being handled with extreme caution in 2020. A tweaked hamstring suffered at the alternate training site delayed his return to Colorado, where he once again struggled offensively. Through 32 big league games he has hit .196/.235/.227 with four walks and 33 strikeouts.
SCOUTING REPORT: While Rodgers’ standing as a prospect has suffered, both because of injuries and decaying enthusiasm about his tools, he still has the ceiling of an impact player. He’s still 24 years old, and there is little doubt he can be an above-average hitter if he stays healthy. Rodgers’ quick wrists, bat speed and ability to make consistent hard contact earn high marks, and he projects to have above-average power. Historically, the knock on Rodgers has been his lack of walks and a strikeout rate that has ballooned in his small big league sample. At present, he can hit any fastball but struggles with big league-caliber breaking balls. While his pitch recognition and patience will continue to be question marks until he proves otherwise, they have been an area of focus over the last two years and he has shown progress. A natural shortstop, Rodgers is still a work in progress defensively at second base. He has more than enough arm strength and athleticism for the position and has spent time working on the finer points of the keystone, including his angles to the ball, moving better to his left and working to soften his hands. There is confidence he can be an above-average defender at second base if he winds up there.
THE FUTURE: Rodgers will get another chance in 2021 to entrench himself with fellow homegrown stars Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story, who play third base and shortstop in Colorado. Rodgers might still be the franchise’s shortstop of the future, but with Story there for at least another year, his best path to playing time will be at second base. If Rodgers gets the playing time he needs and makes a leap in 2021, an infield featuring Rodgers, Story and Arenado could be one of the most dynamic in baseball.
