AB | 338 |
---|---|
AVG | .243 |
OBP | .279 |
SLG | .322 |
HR | 3 |
- Full name Johan Stiven Rojas
- Born 08/14/2000 in San Francisco De Macoris, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 165 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Track Record: After scuffling for much of the 2021 season, Rojas ended the season on a tear at High-A Jersey Shore, posting his highest OPS in the month of September. The same held true in 2022, when Rojas scuffled for the first two months of the season but seemed to reach another gear once he was promoted to Double-A Reading. In his final 25 games in the Eastern League, he hit .305/.389/.463 with 12 stolen bases, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts. He headed to the Arizona Fall League after the season.
Scouting Grades: Rojas stands out for his plus-plus speed--he stole a career-high 62 bases in 67 attempts in 2022--and his plus defense in center field to go with an above-average arm. Most of the questions surrounding Rojas involve his bat and the amount of impact he'll make. With an 87 mph average exit velocity and 103 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in 2022, Rojas likely will never hit many home runs, instead settling for some gap power that will allow his speed to play on the basepaths. He worked in 2021 on cutting down his groundball rate and improving his recognition against offspeed pitches, and that continued to be an area of emphasis for him in 2022. He has a tendency to pull the ball, but he showed improvement with his chase rate and managed to do a better job of lifting the ball in the air as the season progressed. Rojas has good bat speed and good bat-to-ball skills, but still struggles to understand what pitches to do damage on and needs to improve his plate decisions and bat path.
The Future: Rojas will likely start the 2022 season back at Double-A Reading. If he can continue to improve his hit tool, he has a chance to be a bottom-of-the-order table setter who provides plus defense in center field.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 70. Fielding: 65. Arm: 55. -
Track Record: Few players in the organization improved as much during the season as Rojas, who put an exclamation mark on the 2021 campaign with a red-hot September in his first month at High-A, hitting .344/.419/.563 with nearly as many walks (seven) as strikeouts (eight) while showing an exciting power/speed combination. Rojas spent the fall at instructional league.
Scouting Report: Rojas has tools scouts can dream on, with plus-plus speed, plus defense, an above-average arm and plus raw power that led to a career-high 11 homers. But he’s had trouble accessing those tools in games. He took a big step forward in 2021, improving his approach at the plate and swing decisions, getting a better launch angle on the ball to lower his groundball rate and cutting down on his swing-and-miss while showing higher exit velocities. He showed better recognition against spin and offspeed pitches, doing more damage than he had before while continuing to show impressive bat speed and bat-to-ball skills and doing more harm to pitches over the middle of the plate. Rojas spent his time at instructional league continuing to work on his approach, launch angle and offspeed recognition as well as pulling the ball. The organization believes it has an everyday center fielder who has the upside of an all-star if everything clicks.
The Future: Rojas will likely get more reps in at winter ball before starting the 2022 season back at High-A Jersey Shore.
-
Hitting: 50. Power: 50. Run: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
TRACK RECORD: The Phillies signed the unheralded Rojas for just $10,000 in the same international period that netted them Luis Garcia. Rojas had an encouraging debut season in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 and held his own as a teenager with short-season Williamsport in 2019. Rojas spent the summer adding muscle to his frame before heading to instructional league.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rojas is an athletic, toolsy outfielder with impressive bat speed, but he will need to work on his pitch selection, especially against fastballs. He has at least an average hit tool, with a short, compact swing with minimal movement. The ball jumps off his bat, as evidenced by exit velocities over 110 mph in 2019. He is working to get more lift on the ball to cut down on his high groundball rate. With his added strength, Rojas projects for average power and has shown the ability to hit the ball to all fields in the minor leagues. The Phillies believe he can play all three outfield spots with above-average defensive ability, an average arm, plus speed and a high-energy approach.
THE FUTURE: Rojas’ upside is matched by few prospects in the system. He will need to work on improving his approach and chase rates to reach his ceiling as an everyday big leaguer. -
TRACK RECORD: The Phillies signed Rojas as part of its excellent 2017-2018 international class that also included shortstop Luis Garcia. Garcia made a much more impressive splash in 2018, but Rojas' wiry strength and speed gives him a chance to surpass Garcia eventually.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rojas is following in the footsteps of Simon Muzziotti and Carlos Tocci as an athletic center fielder who has the potential to be a plus runner and a plus defender with an average arm. And like Muzziotti and Tocci, the question is whether he'll hit enough for it to matter. Rojas has a solid swing, and he has the potential to hit for average power eventually–his two home runs were both opposite-field shots. Rojas is extremely aggressive at the plate right now–more than 50 percent of his plate appearances in 2019 were finished in one or two pitches. Scouts appreciate his high-energy approach, especially in the outfield.
THE FUTURE: In a system without many potential impact players, Rojas stands out because he has some strength potential to go with his speed and defense. He needs to improve his selectivity and get stronger, but few Phillies prospects can match his upside.
Scouting Reports
-
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Track Record: After scuffling for much of the 2021 season, Rojas ended the season on a tear at High-A Jersey Shore, posting his highest OPS in the month of September. The same held true in 2022, when Rojas scuffled for the first two months of the season but seemed to reach another gear once he was promoted to Double-A Reading. In his final 25 games in the Eastern League, he hit .305/.389/.463 with 12 stolen bases, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts. He headed to the Arizona Fall League after the season.
Scouting Grades: Rojas stands out for his plus-plus speed--he stole a career-high 62 bases in 67 attempts in 2022--and his plus defense in center field to go with an above-average arm. Most of the questions surrounding Rojas involve his bat and the amount of impact he'll make. With an 87 mph average exit velocity and 103 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in 2022, Rojas likely will never hit many home runs, instead settling for some gap power that will allow his speed to play on the basepaths. He worked in 2021 on cutting down his groundball rate and improving his recognition against offspeed pitches, and that continued to be an area of emphasis for him in 2022. He has a tendency to pull the ball, but he showed improvement with his chase rate and managed to do a better job of lifting the ball in the air as the season progressed. Rojas has good bat speed and good bat-to-ball skills, but still struggles to understand what pitches to do damage on and needs to improve his plate decisions and bat path.
The Future: Rojas will likely start the 2022 season back at Double-A Reading. If he can continue to improve his hit tool, he has a chance to be a bottom-of-the-order table setter who provides plus defense in center field.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 70. Fielding: 65. Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Track Record: After scuffling for much of the 2021 season, Rojas ended the season on a tear at High-A Jersey Shore, posting his highest OPS in the month of September. The same held true in 2022, when Rojas scuffled for the first two months of the season but seemed to reach another gear once he was promoted to Double-A Reading. In his final 25 games in the Eastern League, he hit .305/.389/.463 with 12 stolen bases, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts. He headed to the Arizona Fall League after the season.
Scouting Grades: Rojas stands out for his plus-plus speed--he stole a career-high 62 bases in 67 attempts in 2022--and his plus defense in center field to go with an above-average arm. Most of the questions surrounding Rojas involve his bat and the amount of impact he'll make. With an 87 mph average exit velocity and 103 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in 2022, Rojas likely will never hit many home runs, instead settling for some gap power that will allow his speed to play on the basepaths. He worked in 2021 on cutting down his groundball rate and improving his recognition against offspeed pitches, and that continued to be an area of emphasis for him in 2022. He has a tendency to pull the ball, but he showed improvement with his chase rate and managed to do a better job of lifting the ball in the air as the season progressed. Rojas has good bat speed and good bat-to-ball skills, but still struggles to understand what pitches to do damage on and needs to improve his plate decisions and bat path.
The Future: Rojas will likely start the 2022 season back at Double-A Reading. If he can continue to improve his hit tool, he has a chance to be a bottom-of-the-order table setter who provides plus defense in center field.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 70. Fielding: 65. Arm: 55. -
BA Grade: 55/Extreme
Track Record: Few players in the organization improved as much during the season as Rojas, who put an exclamation mark on the 2021 campaign with a red-hot September in his first month at High-A, hitting .344/.419/.563 with nearly as many walks (seven) as strikeouts (eight) while showing an exciting power/speed combination. Rojas spent the fall at instructional league.
Scouting Report: Rojas has tools scouts can dream on, with plus-plus speed, plus defense, an above-average arm and plus raw power that led to a career-high 11 homers. But he's had trouble accessing those tools in games. He took a big step forward in 2021, improving his approach at the plate and swing decisions, getting a better launch angle on the ball to lower his groundball rate and cutting down on his swing-and-miss while showing higher exit velocities. He showed better recognition against spin and offspeed pitches, doing more damage than he had before while continuing to show impressive bat speed and bat-to-ball skills and doing more harm to pitches over the middle of the plate. Rojas spent his time at instructional league continuing to work on his approach, launch angle and offspeed recognition as well as pulling the ball. The organization believes it has an everyday center fielder who has the upside of an all-star if everything clicks.
The Future: Rojas will likely get more reps in at winter ball before starting the 2022 season back at High-A Jersey Shore.
Scouting Grades:
Hit: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55. -
Track Record: Few players in the organization improved as much during the season as Rojas, who put an exclamation mark on the 2021 campaign with a red-hot September in his first month at High-A, hitting .344/.419/.563 with nearly as many walks (seven) as strikeouts (eight) while showing an exciting power/speed combination. Rojas spent the fall at instructional league.
Scouting Report: Rojas has tools scouts can dream on, with plus-plus speed, plus defense, an above-average arm and plus raw power that led to a career-high 11 homers. But he’s had trouble accessing those tools in games. He took a big step forward in 2021, improving his approach at the plate and swing decisions, getting a better launch angle on the ball to lower his groundball rate and cutting down on his swing-and-miss while showing higher exit velocities. He showed better recognition against spin and offspeed pitches, doing more damage than he had before while continuing to show impressive bat speed and bat-to-ball skills and doing more harm to pitches over the middle of the plate. Rojas spent his time at instructional league continuing to work on his approach, launch angle and offspeed recognition as well as pulling the ball. The organization believes it has an everyday center fielder who has the upside of an all-star if everything clicks.
The Future: Rojas will likely get more reps in at winter ball before starting the 2022 season back at High-A Jersey Shore.
-
Hitting: 50. Power: 50. Run: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
TRACK RECORD: The Phillies signed the unheralded Rojas for just $10,000 in the same international period that netted them Luis Garcia. Rojas had an encouraging debut season in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 and held his own as a teenager with short-season Williamsport in 2019. Rojas spent the summer adding muscle to his frame before heading to instructional league.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rojas is an athletic, toolsy outfielder with impressive bat speed, but he will need to work on his pitch selection, especially against fastballs. He has at least an average hit tool, with a short, compact swing with minimal movement. The ball jumps off his bat, as evidenced by exit velocities over 110 mph in 2019. He is working to get more lift on the ball to cut down on his high groundball rate. With his added strength, Rojas projects for average power and has shown the ability to hit the ball to all fields in the minor leagues. The Phillies believe he can play all three outfield spots with above-average defensive ability, an average arm, plus speed and a high-energy approach.
THE FUTURE: Rojas' upside is matched by few prospects in the system. He will need to work on improving his approach and chase rates to reach his ceiling as an everyday big leaguer. -
Hitting: 50. Power: 50. Run: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
TRACK RECORD: The Phillies signed the unheralded Rojas for just $10,000 in the same international period that netted them Luis Garcia. Rojas had an encouraging debut season in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 and held his own as a teenager with short-season Williamsport in 2019. Rojas spent the summer adding muscle to his frame before heading to instructional league.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rojas is an athletic, toolsy outfielder with impressive bat speed, but he will need to work on his pitch selection, especially against fastballs. He has at least an average hit tool, with a short, compact swing with minimal movement. The ball jumps off his bat, as evidenced by exit velocities over 110 mph in 2019. He is working to get more lift on the ball to cut down on his high groundball rate. With his added strength, Rojas projects for average power and has shown the ability to hit the ball to all fields in the minor leagues. The Phillies believe he can play all three outfield spots with above-average defensive ability, an average arm, plus speed and a high-energy approach.
THE FUTURE: Rojas’ upside is matched by few prospects in the system. He will need to work on improving his approach and chase rates to reach his ceiling as an everyday big leaguer. -
Hitting: 50. Power: 50. Run: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
TRACK RECORD: The Phillies signed the unheralded Rojas for just $10,000 in the same international period that netted them Luis Garcia. Rojas had an encouraging debut season in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 and held his own as a teenager with short-season Williamsport in 2019. Rojas spent the summer adding muscle to his frame before heading to instructional league.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rojas is an athletic, toolsy outfielder with impressive bat speed, but he will need to work on his pitch selection, especially against fastballs. He has at least an average hit tool, with a short, compact swing with minimal movement. The ball jumps off his bat, as evidenced by exit velocities over 110 mph in 2019. He is working to get more lift on the ball to cut down on his high groundball rate. With his added strength, Rojas projects for average power and has shown the ability to hit the ball to all fields in the minor leagues. The Phillies believe he can play all three outfield spots with above-average defensive ability, an average arm, plus speed and a high-energy approach.
THE FUTURE: Rojas’ upside is matched by few prospects in the system. He will need to work on improving his approach and chase rates to reach his ceiling as an everyday big leaguer. -
TRACK RECORD: The Phillies signed Rojas as part of its excellent 2017-2018 international class that also included shortstop Luis Garcia. Garcia made a much more impressive splash in 2018, but Rojas’ wiry strength and speed gives him a chance to surpass Garcia eventually.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rojas is following in the footsteps of Simon Muzziotti and Carlos Tocci as an athletic center fielder who has the potential to be a plus runner and a plus defender with an average arm. And like Muzziotti and Tocci, the question is whether he’ll hit enough for it to matter. Rojas has a solid swing, and he has the potential to hit for average power eventually–his two home runs were both opposite-field shots. Rojas is extremely aggressive at the plate right now–more than 50 percent of his plate appearances in 2019 were finished in one or two pitches. Scouts appreciate his high-energy approach, especially in the outfield.
THE FUTURE: In a system without many potential impact players, Rojas stands out because he has some strength potential to go with his speed and defense. He needs to improve his selectivity and get stronger, but few Phillies prospects can match his upside. -
TRACK RECORD: The Phillies signed Rojas as part of its excellent 2017-2018 international class that also included shortstop Luis Garcia. Garcia made a much more impressive splash in 2018, but Rojas' wiry strength and speed gives him a chance to surpass Garcia eventually.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rojas is following in the footsteps of Simon Muzziotti and Carlos Tocci as an athletic center fielder who has the potential to be a plus runner and a plus defender with an average arm. And like Muzziotti and Tocci, the question is whether he'll hit enough for it to matter. Rojas has a solid swing, and he has the potential to hit for average power eventually–his two home runs were both opposite-field shots. Rojas is extremely aggressive at the plate right now–more than 50 percent of his plate appearances in 2019 were finished in one or two pitches. Scouts appreciate his high-energy approach, especially in the outfield.
THE FUTURE: In a system without many potential impact players, Rojas stands out because he has some strength potential to go with his speed and defense. He needs to improve his selectivity and get stronger, but few Phillies prospects can match his upside.