Jake Rogers

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #22 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Viewed as the top defensive catcher in the 2016 draft class, Rogers was drafted by the Astros in the third round and traded to the Tigers a year later with Daz Cameron and Franklin Perez for Justin Verlander. Rogers rose through Double-A and Triple-A up to the majors for his debut in 2019, but he spent all of 2020 at the alternate training site and did not receive a callup.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rogers shines behind the plate defensively. He has cat-like quickness and footwork and plus arm strength. He has improved his ability to properly block and frame. He draws praise for his attitude and work ethic, and pitchers like throwing to him. Rogers' offense is a different story. An uphill swing leads to inconsistent contact and struggles against offspeed pitches, in particular. Rogers does have some raw power, but he doesn't project to make enough contact to get to it.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rogers needs a swing change in order to be in the lineup every day, even with his defensive abilities. His most likely outcome is a backup catcher.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #10 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Rogers was drafted by the Astros in 2016 and sent to Detroit as part of the package for Justin Verlander. While he has shown power, the defense-first backstop hasn't done much with the bat as a pro. His maturity behind home plate and ability to connect with his pitchers helped him earn his first big league callup on July 30.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rogers holds Tulane's record for caught-stealing percentage (56.8) and nabbed just under 50 percent of potential basestealers in the International League. His arm strength is plus but gets amplified by excellent footwork and transfer ability. Rogers receives praise for his work ethic and the way he studies the game. Utilizing a pronounced leg kick, Rogers' hit tool is considered well below-average. He tends to swing uphill and gets off plane too quickly to make consistent contact. His raw power is plus and should allow him to show average power in games. As with plenty of other catchers, Rogers has below-average speed but it doesn't hinder his athletic ability behind the dish.
  
  THE FUTURE: If he can adjust to big league pitching, he could be a 20-homer backstop who brings elite defensive skills to the position. If not, his ceiling is that of a backup catcher.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #13 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Astros originally took Rogers in the third round of the 2016 draft before dealing him to the Tigers as part of the package for Justin Verlander. He was lauded as one of the best defensive catchers in his draft class, most notably for a strong, accurate arm that allowed him to throw out nearly 63 percent of attempted basestealers in his junior season at Tulane.
  
  Scouting Report: Rogers owns a plus arm, with a quick transfer and release, in addition to strong framing skills. There is no doubt he’ll stick behind the plate. He threw out 56 percent of attempted basestealers with Double-A Erie in 2018. Rogers studies the game, and receives high praise from his pitching staffs. He’s worked to tone down an exaggerated leg kick at the plate, which mitigated his hittability at times. He has solid-average raw power, though his in-game power was helped a bit this season by Erie’s cozy dimensions.
  
  The Future: Rogers is ticketed to spend more time at Double-A to continue developing his hitting. While still has areas to work on, Rogers has the profile behind the dish to help Detroit in the near future.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #5 prospect in 2018
  Rogers was seen as one of the best defensive catchers in the 2016 college draft class, but he also was an easy out at the plate for most of his Tulane career (.233 career hitter with seven home runs in three seasons). With many scouts seeing him as a glove-only catcher, he fell to the third round despite impeccable defensive credentials. Rogers has proven a better hitter in pro ball and was a key part of the Justin Verlander trade. At the plate, Rogers is looking to drive the ball. He has a big leg kick to start his swing and takes a ferocious cut with a pull-heavy approach. When it works, he has the power to deposit pitches in the left field bleachers. When it doesn't he rolls over groundouts or hits a number of harmless pop outs. Evaluators generally see him as a below-average hitter with a lot of swings and misses and average bat speed. But his power-heavy approach also gives him a chance to hit 20-plus home runs. Combine that with his plus arm (he threw out 46 percent of base stealers) and his defensive skills and that could still be a valuable big leaguer. Rogers embraces the leadership role, moves well behind the plate and has a strong left hand, giving him chance to be an above-average receiver as well. Rogers is at least a big league backup catcher and if he can make semi-consistent contact he has a solid chance to be an everyday regular. He'll jump to Double-A Erie in 2018 and with his defensive polish, isn't all that far from Detroit.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #20 prospect in 2017
  From the moment Rogers arrived at Tulane, he was the team's anchor behind the plate. His catch-and-throw skills quickly taught Green Wave opponents to stay put at first base and he ultimately threw out 57 percent of basestealers in his college career. Scouts regularly gave his arm 70 grades on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. That reputation is why the Astros in 2016 made Rogers the highest-drafted player out of Tulane since 2008 sandwich pick Shooter Hunt. Rogers is athletic, loose and limber behind the plate with a soft left hand that should make him an excellent framer. He picked off seven baserunners in just 43 games behind the plate in his pro debut, which he finished at low Class A Quad Cities. Rogers has work to do offensively. Since high school, he has had a very power-oriented swing with an exaggerated leg kick and weight transfer, but it's never really worked for him. Rogers has shown average power, but the tradeoff is a struggle to regularly make solid contact. A career .233 hitter at Tulane, he matched that average exactly in his pro debut, so his ability to hit will determine whether he profiles as a big league starter or backup.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #95 prospect in 2016 draft
  As arguably the best defensive catcher in the class, Rogers should have a long pro career. His ability to get regular big league time depends on how much improvement he can make at the plate. Rogers is an excellent defensive catcher with a plus-plus arm that's strong, accurate and paired to a quick release. He not only shuts down running games (he's thrown out 62 percent of base stealers) but also is effective at picking runners off. Scouts also rave about his hands and his receiving and he springs from his crouch to run down bunts as well. Rogers is athletic enough that coaches considered playing him at shortstop when Stephen Alemais was sidelined. His hitting needs a lot of work. Rogers has a big leg kick, especially in early counts. He has a noisy setup and he gets too pull conscious trying to tap into his fringe-average power. Rogers' hit tool is well-below-average, but he does have an idea of the strike zone and draws walks. As a pro he'd be better served to tone down his swing to focus more on hitting for average.
• Ranked #212 prospect in 2013 draft
  Rogers boosted his draft stock by performing well at the Battle of the Borders Showcase, which features top high school players from Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Scouts had to trek to the Texas Panhandle to follow up on Rogers this spring, but a catcher with all-around potential makes the trip worthwhile. An athletic 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he moves well behind the plate and shows promising catch-and-throw skills. He also has the strength to provide solid righthanded power, though he'll probably have to tone down his exaggerated leg kick to succeed against better pitching. Though he's a below-average runner, Rogers is quicker than most catchers and able to man an infield corner if needed. He has committed to Tulane.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Viewed as the top defensive catcher in the 2016 draft class, Rogers was drafted by the Astros in the third round and traded to the Tigers a year later with Daz Cameron and Franklin Perez for Justin Verlander. Rogers rose through Double-A and Triple-A up to the majors for his debut in 2019, but he spent all of 2020 at the alternate training site and did not receive a callup.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rogers shines behind the plate defensively. He has cat-like quickness and footwork and plus arm strength. He has improved his ability to properly block and frame. He draws praise for his attitude and work ethic, and pitchers like throwing to him. Rogers' offense is a different story. An uphill swing leads to inconsistent contact and struggles against offspeed pitches, in particular. Rogers does have some raw power, but he doesn't project to make enough contact to get to it.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rogers needs a swing change in order to be in the lineup every day, even with his defensive abilities. His most likely outcome is a backup catcher.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Viewed as the top defensive catcher in the 2016 draft class, Rogers was drafted by the Astros in the third round and traded to the Tigers a year later with Daz Cameron and Franklin Perez for Justin Verlander. Rogers rose through Double-A and Triple-A up to the majors for his debut in 2019, but he spent all of 2020 at the alternate training site and did not receive a callup.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rogers shines behind the plate defensively. He has cat-like quickness and footwork and plus arm strength. He has improved his ability to properly block and frame. He draws praise for his attitude and work ethic, and pitchers like throwing to him. Rogers' offense is a different story. An uphill swing leads to inconsistent contact and struggles against offspeed pitches, in particular. Rogers does have some raw power, but he doesn't project to make enough contact to get to it.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rogers needs a swing change in order to be in the lineup every day, even with his defensive abilities. His most likely outcome is a backup catcher.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rogers was drafted by the Astros in 2016 and sent to Detroit as part of the package for Justin Verlander. While he has shown power, the defense-first backstop hasn’t done much with the bat as a pro. His maturity behind home plate and ability to connect with his pitchers helped him earn his first big league callup on July 30.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rogers holds Tulane’s record for caught-stealing percentage (56.8) and nabbed just under 50 percent of potential basestealers in the International League. His arm strength is plus but gets amplified by excellent footwork and transfer ability. Rogers receives praise for his work ethic and the way he studies the game. Utilizing a pronounced leg kick, Rogers’ hit tool is considered well below-average. He tends to swing uphill and gets off plane too quickly to make consistent contact. His raw power is plus and should allow him to show average power in games. As with plenty of other catchers, Rogers has below-average speed but it doesn’t hinder his athletic ability behind the dish.
  
  THE FUTURE: If he can adjust to big league pitching, he could be a 20-homer backstop who brings elite defensive skills to the position. If not, his ceiling is that of a backup catcher.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rogers was drafted by the Astros in 2016 and sent to Detroit as part of the package for Justin Verlander. While he has shown power, the defense-first backstop hasn't done much with the bat as a pro. His maturity behind home plate and ability to connect with his pitchers helped him earn his first big league callup on July 30.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rogers holds Tulane's record for caught-stealing percentage (56.8) and nabbed just under 50 percent of potential basestealers in the International League. His arm strength is plus but gets amplified by excellent footwork and transfer ability. Rogers receives praise for his work ethic and the way he studies the game. Utilizing a pronounced leg kick, Rogers' hit tool is considered well below-average. He tends to swing uphill and gets off plane too quickly to make consistent contact. His raw power is plus and should allow him to show average power in games. As with plenty of other catchers, Rogers has below-average speed but it doesn't hinder his athletic ability behind the dish.
  
  THE FUTURE: If he can adjust to big league pitching, he could be a 20-homer backstop who brings elite defensive skills to the position. If not, his ceiling is that of a backup catcher.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Rogers was seen as one of the best defensive catchers in the 2016 college draft class, but he also was an easy out at the plate for most of his Tulane career. He was a key part of the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Astros in August 2017. Scouting Report: At the plate, Rogers looks to drive the ball. He has a big leg kick to start his swing, and takes a ferocious cut with a pull-heavy approach. When his swing works, he has the power to deposit pitches in the left-field bleachers. When it doesn't, he rolls over ground outs or hits a number of harmless pop outs. Evaluators generally see Rogers as a below-average hitter with a lot of swings and misses and average bat speed. But his power-heavy approach also gives him a chance to hit 20-plus home runs. Combine that power with his plus arm (he threw out 46 percent of basestealers in 2017) and his defensive skills and Rogers could be a valuable big leaguer. He moves well behind the plate and has a strong left hand, giving him chance to be an above-average defender. The Future: Rogers is at least a big league backup catcher. If he can make semi-consistent contact, he could be a regular. He'll jump to Double-A Erie in 2018.