Mike Rothenberg

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #274 prospect in 2020 draft
  A big, physical switch-hitting catcher with power from both sides of the plate and a strong arm to match, Rothenberg has the toolset that could entice some teams among the top five rounds. However, while he does have tools, scouts have been skeptical about the playability of those tools, and the inconsistency of his defensive work behind the dish. Rothenberg has plus raw power and hits impressive home runs in batting practice, but while he did get to 11 home runs in 2019 as a sophomore with Duke, scouts question the length to his swing and wonder about his ability to pick up spin and avoid chasing out of the zone. Behind the plate, scouts wonder if he has the ability to receive at a high level, and while he has shown off easy plus arm strength at times, it’s not consistently at that level. He’s tall for a catcher, so some evaluators are skeptical he can stick behind the dish, but others have liked the way he caught Duke ace Bryce Jarvis early this spring and are more optimistic. A career .273/.406/.468 hitter with 15 home runs in his Duke career, Rothenberg struggled with the bat in a 17-game stint in the Cape Cod League last summer, hitting .200/.241/.218 with 17 strikeouts and three walks. Where Rothenberg is selected in 2020 will come down to whether a team thinks he can hit and catch at the next level, but his toolset and physicality are clear to everyone.