Brady Rodgers Stats & Scouting Report

IP	13
ERA	15.923
WHIP	2.462
BB/9	6.923
SO/9	4.846

Full name Brady Paul Rodgers
Born 09/17/1990 in Richmond, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Arizona State
Debut 09/03/2016
Drafted in the 3rd round (96th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2012 (signed for $495,200).

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Being at Arizona State almost hurts Rodgers because it's easy for scouts to compare him to another former Sun Devil and say, "Well, he's not Mike Leake." While Leake does have better stuff and athleticism, Rodgers still has plenty to offer. Like Leake, Rodgers is a bit undersized, and his stuff plays up because of his varied arsenal and pinpoint command. He fills up the strike zone with an 88-92 mph fastball and adds three solid secondary pitches: a curveball, slider and changeup. His slider is the best of the three and might be a tick above-average, but his command is better than his pure stuff. Scouts see Rodgers as a back-of-the-rotation starter and worry that his slender, 6-foot-2, 198-pound frame may not be able to withstand the grind of 180 innings and that over a full season his fastball might be below-average at times.

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High school teammates with Cardinals outfielder Randal Grichuk and one of the most successful pitchers in Arizona State history, Rodgers had a breakthrough minor league season in 2016 and a dud of a big league debut. He changed the grip on his slider with help from Astros reliever Luke Gregerson, which helped him make a big step forward in his second try at Triple-A Fresno. Houston had left Rodgers unprotected for 2015 Rule 5 draft, but by the end of the 2016 season, he had earned a spot on the 40-man roster and the pitcher-of-the-year award in the Pacific Coast League. Unfortunately for him, his season didn't end on Sept. 1. He allowed 10 earned runs in 1.2 innings in his first two major league appearances. When Rodgers is effective it is because his average across-the-board stuff plays up because of plus control and command, but he has very little margin for error. He can overwhelm hitters by throwing five different pitches--a fastball, cutter, slider, curveball and changeup--but his above-average slider is the only one that grades out as better than average. For now, Rodgers projects as a Triple-A depth starter.
The former Arizona State control specialist--he walked just 36 batters in 286 college innings--has retained plus pitchability and strong command as a pro. He ranked ninth in 2014 among qualified minor league starters in lowest walk percentage (3.4 percent), spending virtually all year at Double-A Corpus Christi. Rodgers' knack for pitching goes with a solid four-pitch mix. He has average 89-93 mph velocity on his sinking fastball, with a slider that flashes plus when he gets on top of it. He throws it with some power in the low 80s, about 10 mph harder than his average curveball, and adds a deceptive changeup with sink. He's wiry and competitive, with the athleticism to field his position and stifle opposing running games. Rodgers profiles as a back-end starter and will report to Triple-A Fresno for 2015.
Rodgers posted the second-best career ERA (2.39) in Arizona State history while going 23-10 with just 36 walks in 286 innings over the last three years. He had similar success in his pro debut after signing for a $495,200 bonus as the 96th overall selection, helping Tri-City to a 51-25 record with the same mix of efficiency and stinginess with walks. Rodgers' wiry build gives scouts some pause, but he maintained his stuff through the college and pro seasons, working 184 innings (counting the New York-Penn League playoffs). At his best, Rodgers pitches with an 88-92 mph fastball and puts it where he wants to, exhibiting solid average command already. His slider gives him an above-average pitch, coming in at 82-85 mph at times. His feel for spin also helps him throw a solid curveball that can have sharp downer action in the mid-70s. His changeup gives him a reliable fourth pitch. Rodgers' competitiveness serves him well. He'll join Lance McCullers Jr., Vincent Velasquez and Adrian Houser in a talented Cedar Rapids rotation in 2013.

Draft Prospects

Being at Arizona State almost hurts Rodgers because it's easy for scouts to compare him to another former Sun Devil and say, "Well, he's not Mike Leake." While Leake does have better stuff and athleticism, Rodgers still has plenty to offer. Like Leake, Rodgers is a bit undersized, and his stuff plays up because of his varied arsenal and pinpoint command. He fills up the strike zone with an 88-92 mph fastball and adds three solid secondary pitches: a curveball, slider and changeup. His slider is the best of the three and might be a tick above-average, but his command is better than his pure stuff. Scouts see Rodgers as a back-of-the-rotation starter and worry that his slender, 6-foot-2, 198-pound frame may not be able to withstand the grind of 180 innings and that over a full season his fastball might be below-average at times.