- Full name Brian Rogers
- Born
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Rogers led the summer amateur Cape Cod League in strikeouts in 1997 and finished second in NCAA Division I in whiffs in 1998. But in between, he had knee surgery that cost him velocity and messed up his mechanics. As a result, he went from a sure first-round pick to a fifth-rounder. That turned out to be an astute pick by the Yankees, as Rogers has had no knee problems as a pro. His best pitch is a hammer curveball that drops straight down, and he has a fastball capable of reaching 93 mph. Rogers has put up solid numbers in the minors, but he hasn't overmatched hitters. He needs to improve his command, and he's working on a changeup and a cut fastball. He spent all of 2000 in Double-A, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to send him back there so he could have a big first half before going to Triple-A.