Monday Farm Report: Top Prospect Rodgers Headed to Albuquerque
Shortstop Brendan Rodgers, the Rockies No. 1 ranked prospect, is being promoted from Double-A Hartford to Triple-A Albuquerque. Rodgers is expected to join the Isotopes when they open a three-game series against Round Rock at home on Wednesday.
The Isotopes are in Colorado Springs on Monday and are scheduled off on Tuesday.
Rodgers was the Rockies first-round draft choice out of high school in 2015, the third player taken over all after current big-leaguers Dansby Swanson, who was drafted by the Diamondbacks, but was dealt to the Braves, and Alex Bregman, who was moved from short to third by the Astros.
Rodgers could well be in for an eventual move, himself. He has been primarily a shortstop in he minor leagues, but with Trevor Story entrenched at short with the Rockies, there has been speculation Rodgers could compete with Garrett Hampson for the big-league second base job next year if the Rockies lose DJ LeMahieu to free agency.
A career .294 hitter since beginning his breaking in with rookie Grand Junction in 2015, Rodgers has hit .275 at Hartford, appearing in 95 games. He has 17 home runs and 62 RBI.
Rodgers, who at 21 was more than three years below the average age in the Eastern League, has been a mid-season All-Star in each of his three years with full-season minor league teams, and was selected for the Futures Game for the second year in a row earlier this month.
The Rodgers File
| Year | Tm | Lg | Lev | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Grand Junction | PION | Rk | 37 | 143 | 22 | 39 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 15 | 37 | .273 |
| 2016 | Asheville | SALL | A | 110 | 442 | 73 | 124 | 31 | 0 | 19 | 73 | 35 | 98 | .281 |
| 2017 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | A+-AA | 89 | 372 | 64 | 125 | 26 | 3 | 18 | 64 | 14 | 71 | .336 |
| Hartford | EL | AA | 38 | 150 | 20 | 39 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 8 | 36 | .266 | |
| Lancaster | CALL | A+ | 51 | 222 | 44 | 86 | 21 | 3 | 12 | 47 | 6 | 35 | .387 | |
| 2018 | Hartford | EL | AA | 95 | 357 | 49 | 98 | 23 | 2 | 17 | 62 | 30 | 76 | .275 |
| Totals | 330 | 1311 | 208 | 386 | 88 | 7 | 57 | 219 | 93 | 282 | .294 |
In Sunday's games
AAA Albuquerque (50-57) lost 7-2 at Colorado Springs. Jeff Hoffman (4-6, 4.46) gave up five runs on two hits and three walks, striking out one in one inning. Mike Tauchman (.339) hit his 17th home run.
AA Hartford (49-55) lost 8-1 against New Hampshire. Evan Grills (2-4, 4.41) allowed seven runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out three in 5 2/3 innings. Nelson Molina (.202) singled and scored on a double from Omar Carrizales (.218) in the eighth inning for the Yard Goats only run.
High A Lancaster (22-15 first half; 56-52) won 5-4 against Visalia. Wes Rogers (.284) doubled home Tyler Nevin (.318) with the game-winning run in the eighth. Nevin (.318) was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Vince Fernandez (.288) hit his 18th home run, driving in two runs. Ben Bowden (2-2, 4.03) worked one inning and was credited with the win. Justin Lawrence (2.68) earned his seventh save. Antonio Santos (5.05) started and allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out one.
Low A Asheville (16-18 2nd half; 43-60) lost 7-0 at West Virginia. Taylor Snyder (.277) doubled leading off the sixth, and Todd Czinege (.299) had a two-out single in the eighth for the Tourists' only hits. Lucas Gilbreath (4-8, 5.49) allowed six runs on 10 hits, striking out one, in 2 2/3 innings.
Short-season A Boise (1-5 2nd half; 22-22) lost 7-2 against Tri-City. Pearson McMahan (2-1, 6.25) allowed five runs on six hits and two walks, striking out three, in five innings.
Rookie Grand Junction (4-1 2nd half; 24-19) won 7-1 against Orem. Michael Agis (3-3, 3.60) earned the win, pitching two shutout innings, striking out one. Ryan Rollison (2.77), the Rockies No. 1 draft pick in June, started and allowed one run on two hits and a walk, striking out six, in four innings. Niko Decolati (.299) had a two-run home run in the fifth. Grant Lavigne (.388) singled home a run, and scored on a two-run single from Javier Guevara (.307) in the fourth.
Dominican Summer League South (18-19) and Dominican Summer League Northeast (31-16) were off.