Michael Rogers

Scouts and coaches alike admire Rogers for a number of reasons, even though he doesn't have a classic profile for a first-round righty. Just 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, he has the command and moxie that many clubs like the Athletics and Rangers covet. Rogers has a strong track record, including a dominant turn in the Cape Cod League in 2002, when he was recovering from a broken right fibula that short-circuited his freshman season. He took a medical redshirt that year and was an All-Freshman selection last season. Rogers got scouts' attention when he shut out then-No. 1 Texas in Austin in a duel against another potential first-round pick J.P. Howell. Rogers struck out 10 and walked one in a three-hitter, then followed it up with a complete-game win at North Carolina. He has improved his velocity as a sophomore, pitching in the 90-92 range and touching a tick or two higher. His fastball has excellent arm-side run and good life down in the zone, and he commands it exceedingly well. He has solid-average secondary stuff (curveball and changeup) that plays up a grade because he pounds the strike zone with all his stuff.