B.J. Rosenberg Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Brian James Rosenberg
Born 09/17/1985 in Newport News, VA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Louisville
Debut 06/09/2012
Drafted in the 13th round (406th overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.

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For the second straight year, Louisville has an intriguing fifth-year senior reliever. Following in the footsteps of Trystan Magnuson is righthander B.J. Rosenberg, who missed the Cardinals' 2007 College World Series run after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. He opened this spring in Louisville's rotation and took off when he shifted to the bullpen in mid-March. Working in relief, Rosenberg boosted his fastball to 93-95 mph. If he had a more consistent slider and a better medical history, he'd be a sure bet for the first five rounds.

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Rosenberg had an eventful first full pro season in 2009. He opened the year as Lakewood's closer and thrived, not giving up an earned run in his final 20 appearances. The Phillies decided to aggressively jump him to Double-A, and he responded well before missing the Eastern League playoffs to pitch in Team USA's bullpen at the World Cup. He won a gold medal, striking out 11 in six innings. Rosenberg started for much of his college career at Louisville until he tore a labrum, which cost him his 2007 season, and he has shown the ability to pitch more than one inning at a time. He relies heavily on his fastball, which often sits at 93-95 mph in shorter stints. He needs to spot his fastball better at upper levels because it's more notable for its velocity than for its life. He also has a solid-average slider, which is a bit inconsistent but can be a strikeout pitch. Rosenberg turned 24 during the World Cup and will be pushed accordingly. With Scott Mathieson ahead of him and starters such as Mike Stutes, Vance Worley and Mike Cisco all potential future relievers, Rosenberg may best serve the Philadelphia as trade bait. He's likely to close at Lehigh Valley this season.