Chad Rodgers
| IP | 244 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.168 |
| WHIP | 1.385 |
| BB/9 | 3.43 |
| SO/9 | 7.34 |
- Full name Chad Martin Rodgers
- Born 11/23/1987 in Akron, OH
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Walsh Jesuit
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Drafted in the 3rd round (100th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2006 (signed for $385,000).
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Rodgers moved slightly ahead of Vermillion's Andy Oliver as the top pitching prospect in Ohio thanks to his superior feel for pitching. Rodgers isn't lacking for stuff either, as he has an 87-89 mph sinker and can touch 92 when he uses a four-seam fastball. He also has a 12-to-6 curveball and a changeup, plus an advanced feel for how to mix pitches and locations to keep hitters off balance. He has drawn comparisons to Indians prospect Jeremy Sowers, the sixth overall pick in the 2004 draft. Sowers' impeccable command grades out better, but Rodgers is more projectable and should wind up with better pure stuff. Rodgers is part of what could be a bumper crop of Kent State recruits, but he'll probably pass up college when he goes in the first five rounds.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Rodgers joined fellow lefties Cole Rohrbough, Jeff Locke and Steve Evarts in a prospect-laden Rome rotation last spring. Like Locke, he received modest run support (which led to an eight-game losing streak), and like Rohrbough and Evarts, he experienced some physical problems. Rodgers pitched just 22 innings in the second half because of a strained shoulder, and he also had shoulder tendinitis in 2007. When healthy, Rodgers has above-average movement on his 89-91 mph fastball. His hard curveball features sharp bite, and his changeup continues to gain consistency after he altered his grip in 2007. He's a quality athlete and competitor who challenges hitters and throws strikes, but he must get stronger so he can pile up the innings he needs to develop. The Braves would like him to open 2009 in high Class A, but a return to Rome is possible if he's not at his best in spring training. -
Along with Jeff Locke and Steve Evarts, Rodgers is another lefty from the 2006 draft who's on the verge of moving quickly through the system. The consensus top mound prospect in Ohio in 2006, he has lived up to his reputation as one of the more polished high school pitchers to emerge from the Midwest in recent years. Rodgers has terrific athleticism for a pitcher and above-average movement with his three primary pitches. His fastball sits at 88-90 mph and reaches 92 mph, and the Braves believe he'll add velocity as his slender frame continues to mature. In addition to throwing both a two-seam and four-seam fastball, he also has a hard curveball with impressive bite. He has shown steady improvement with the depth of his changeup. He used to roll his wrist when he threw his changeup, but he has made some minor adjustments and it now has the makings of a solid-average major league offering. Quiet and reserved off the field, Rodgers is a tremendous competitor on the mound. He suffered from shoulder tendinitis late in the season, though he proved he was healthy during instructional league. He's expected to spend this year in the low Class A rotation with Locke and Evarts. -
Ohio's top pitching prospect in the 2006 draft, Rodgers went in the third round and passed up the chance to attend Kent State in order to turn pro for $385,000. He outperformed the other top high school lefties from Atlanta's 2006 draft class who were assigned to the Gulf Coast League, supplemental first-rounder Steve Evarts and second-rounder Jeff Locke. Rodgers had a reputation for being very polished for a teenager, drawing comparisons to Jeremy Sowers, and he backed it up by filling the strike zone in his pro debut. He already throws 87-91 mph and should gain more velocity on his fastball as he fills out his slender, projectable frame. He has an advanced feel for mixing pitches and changing locations to keep hitters off balance. He throws two- and four-seam fastballs, a hard downer curveball and a changeup, all of which should be average or better pitches. Rodgers is well equipped to handle the jump to low Class A in 2007.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The third of five lefthanders the Braves drafted in the first five rounds in June, Rodgers performed the best of the trio of high school southpaws Atlanta assigned to the GCL. He had no trouble throwing strikes in his pro debut, reinforcing his reputation for being more polished than most prep pitchers. Tall, slender and projectable, he already throws his fastball at 87-91 mph and should gain velocity as he fills out. His arm is quick and loose. Rodgers uses both two- and four-seamers, plus a hard downer curveball and a changeup, both of which are average offerings. A student of the game, he'll throw any pitch in any count.
