10. Jake Rogers, C
Birthday: 4/18/1995 (23)
Acquired: Trade with the Houston Astros, August 2017
Level(s): AA Erie
Statistics: .219/.305/.412, 99 G, 408 PA, 15 2B, 17 HR, 7 SB, 10% BB, 27.5% K
Tulane isn’t exactly a baseball powerhouse, but Jake Rogers was one of the most highly-regarded catchers in what was a very impressive college catching class in the 2016 draft. The Houston Astros grabbed him in the 3rd round, and he was able to jump immediately over complex leagues.
Rogers’ defensive maturity allowed him to finish his draft season in low-A and move through both A-ball levels in 2017 in his first full season. In both seasons, Rogers showed plenty of defensive skills, cutting down runners at a near-elite rate and showing power.
In his first taste of upper minors, more of the holes in Rogers’ swing were exposed in 2018, and those will continue to be a part of his profile doing forward. Rogers has a long swing, and though he has a good idea of the zone, he will likely always struggle to hit for good contact.
Defensively, Rogers is one of the best prospects in the minor leagues currently behind the plate. He has thrown out over half of all baserunners who have attempted to steal against him in his minor league career, and that’s due to a plus arm, but primarily due to elite instincts and footwork behind the plate.
Rogers will likely spend 2019 in AAA, and he could get some big league time during the season. With James McCann likely to get pretty expensive in the next couple of seasons, Rogers could be the future behind the plate as soon as the 2020 season.