Born08/29/1978 in San Pedro De Macoris, Dominican Republic
ProfileHt.: 6'0" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut09/05/2002
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
Expectations for Rogers have fallen a long way since the Orioles compared him to Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Jeter after the 2000 season. Even though he put together a decent Double-A season in 2002, Rogers' stock fell again when it turned out he was three years older than originally believed, making him 24 at season's end. Still, his tools make him the organization's best (and perhaps only) pure shortstop prospect. He can play defense at any level with smooth actions, an above-average arm and good range. Rogers has developed a better understanding of what he needs to do to be a successful hitter, and he projects to be a .260- .270 hitter with 10 homers a year. His strike-zone judgment still needs a lot of work, though, and his walk totals continue to decline. He struggles to handle offspeed pitches. If he can improve on that and continue to play strong defense, he still has a major league future. Rogers is likely to open the season in Triple-A, but the Orioles might decide to send him back to Double-A to see if he can get off to a hot start.
Orioles officials and fans compared Rogers with the best shortstops in baseball after the 2000 season, and the organization jumped him to Bowie to start 2001. He was overmatched there but regained his footing at Frederick. His brother Omar is an infielder who played at Rookie-level Bluefield in 2001. Rogers has pure shortstop tools, with smooth, fluid actions, a great arm and outstanding range. He makes the infield smaller for those who play around him. He runs well and started to show a little pop in his bat last season. Double-A pitchers dominated Rogers, who has a long way to go to become a major leaguer at the plate. He has no real plate discipline and will need a couple of years of at-bats to improve his strike-zone judgment. Rogers has been taken off the fast track as the organization has tempered its expectations for him, at least in the short term. He still has a high ceiling if he can hit consistently. He'll probably return to high Class A this year to work on his hitting, and his bat will dictate how quickly he moves up.
Even the Orioles were stunned by Rogers' emergence as a prospect. He played in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in 1998 and in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in '99, drawing a bit of attention in instructional league after each season. Now he looks like the shortstop of the future. Rogers has the potential to have the offense/defense package of the best modern shortstops. He has pure shortstop tools, with a great arm, plus range and silky actions. Unlike many young shortstops with good tools, he's steady rather than flashy, with little wasted motion. With his slender frame, Rogers needs to add strength to become a bigger offensive threat and to hold up to the rigors of a long season. He missed time with a broken finger in 2000. He has the potential to hit .300 with alley power if he refines his approach at the plate and adds strength. While the Orioles' comparisons to Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra are premature, Rogers does present an exciting package. He's likely to continue on the fast track by opening the season at Double-A Bowie.
Minor League Top Prospects
Rogers made such a terrific showing during spring training that he skipped the Carolina League and began the season in Double-A at age 19. After hitting .199 at Bowie he was demoted to Frederick, where he hit 61 points higher while showing gap power and good speed. He already is considered Baltimore's shortstop of the future. With the best arm, range and hands among Orioles infield prospects, he'll force major leaguer Brian Roberts to second base or a utility role in a year or two. "He plays a very smooth shortstop," Garber said. "With his short swing, he has a chance to hit for a high average at the major league level." To do so, Rogers will have to show more patience. He walked just 20 times in 521 plate appearances between the two levels.
Best Tools List
Rated Best Defensive Infielder in the Baltimore Orioles in 2004
Rated Best Infield Arm in the Baltimore Orioles in 2001
Rated Best Defensive Infielder in the Baltimore Orioles in 2001
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