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Detroit Tigers: Catching Prospects Lead to a Bright Future Or Do They?

By Tyler Kotila

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 23: Grayson Greiner #17 of the Detroit Tigers rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the top of the fifth inning of game one of the doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 23, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 23: Grayson Greiner #17 of the Detroit Tigers rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the top of the fifth inning of game one of the doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 23, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Jake Rogers is the 12th ranked prospect in the Tigers organization, and they are hoping his future is bright but is this really the case? Rogers shows flashes of development, but his hitting has not come around much until this season.

The Detroit Tigers acquired Jake Rogers in the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros. Since receiving him, Rogers has proven that he is an impeccable fielder but cannot seem to hit the ball well. Currently, with the Tigers Double-A club, it is expected that he will be with the big league club next season as of now. Coming into the 2019 campaign, Rogers was assigned values scouting wise based on the 20-80 scale; he scored a 55 on fielding and 60 on throwing with his hitting coming in at only 35.

Though it is early on in the season, has Rogers found a way to change the narrative? It seems like he may have developed his hitting assuming he can keep up his current numbers. With the Double-A Erie Seawolves, Rogers has managed a .297 average, .434 on-base percentage, and .578 slugging percentage.  Rogers has also hit 5 home runs and drove in 14 runners in the 21 games that he has played in during the 2019 season.

In terms of his fielding, Rogers has shown off the cannon of an arm that he has. By throwing out 7 out of the 10 runners who have tried to steal this year. Rogers has shown that he has the makings of a big league catcher defensively, but his hitting has held him back.

In 2018 with Double-A Erie, Rogers managed to showcase his incredible framing as well; his framing runs were 29.4 runs above the Double-A average. These numbers may be a little skewed if he belongs in Triple-A, but compared to his Double-A counterparts, his framing was 29.4 runs above the league average.

In terms of his rise to the big leagues, for the time being, it seems like he is going to stay with Double-A Erie in hopes to get his hitting down pat before moving him up to Triple-A. I think he is honestly major league ready when it comes to the defensive side of things. When it comes to his bat, it seems like the best move for the Tigers is to get him up to Triple-A as soon as they feel he is consistent with his hitting and then slowly work him into big league talent.

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