Miguel Rojas

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #17 prospect in 2010
  When Omar Vizquel was growing up, he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Dave Concepcion. Now Rojas is part of the new generation of young Venezuelan shortstops trying to emulate Vizquel. His defense draws some comparisons to Vizquel's. Rojas' hands are the best in the organization and some of the best scouts have seen in recent years. He has excellent hand-eye coordination and the kind of fluidity that can't be taught. Rojas manages to scoop and throw in one easy motion. He makes very few errors for a young shortstop and was the easy choice for managers as the best defensive shortstop in the Midwest League last season. His arm is a tick below average but that doesn't prevent him from making plays. He's an extremely hard worker who's a leader in the field. There are questions about Rojas' bat, and he never had hit better than .231 in any of his first three pro seasons. He did show significant improvement in 2009, batting .311/.357/.261 after the all-star break. Rojas handles the bat well and makes consistent contact, but he has very little power and a slight frame. Pitchers don't fear him enough to give him many walks, and he's an average runner who isn't a big basestealing threat. If he can show any offensive ability, his glove is good enough for him to make the big leagues. He'll move up to high Class A this season.