Rodgers roughs up Cats with homer, double

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black did his best to help manage the expectations of the team's 2015 first-round pick as Brendan Rodgers made his first trip to Spring Training this February. The No. 3 overall selection sits in a pack of talented infielders in the Rockies organization who could be one injury away from a Major League callup, but Black didn't want the growing whispers from fans and media about Rodgers' debut to stiffle his spring.
"We'll see how he reacts to this [spring], but all indications are from our player development staff that he's making great strides," Black said at the start of Spring Training.
After going 3-for-5 night with a homer, double and two RBIs for Double-A Hartford in Friday's 4-3, 11-inning loss to New Hampshire, it seems Rodgers hasn't struggled to find his groove.

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Rodgers, who was drafted straight out of his stellar senior season at Lake Mary High School in Florida, has climbed the Minor League ladder quickly. He went 4-for-6 with a double and a homer in his professional debut in June 2015 and, a year ago, was the youngest position player in the Double-A Eastern League after being called up more than a month before his 21st birthday.
After batting .400 with 84 hits and 12 homers in his first 48 games last season with Class A Advanced Lancaster, Rodgers moved up and kept the hot streak going. MLB.com's No. 14 overall prospect finished his second full season hitting .336 with 18 homers, earning a spot at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale this year.
"There's no doubt that when he steps into the box, there's some energy in the batter's box, the way he attacks the ball with his swing," Black said. "I like the work that he's put in and we've seen immediate results."

After going 1-for-4 on Opening Night, Rodgers doubled to left field in the bottom of the first inning against Fisher Cats starter and Blue Jays No. 27 prospect Jordan Romano. With the Yard Goats trailing in the fourth, 2-0, he hit a leadoff homer that was followed by Sam Hilliard's solo shot two batters later.
Both offenses stalled until the 11th, when New Hampshire's Lourdes Gurriel Jr. broke the tie with an RBI triple and Cavan Biggio padded the Fisher Cats' lead with a run-scoring double. Rodgers came through again in the bottom half with a leadoff single that plated Yonathan Daza under the Minor Leagues' new extra-inning rules. But Brian Mundell grounded into a double play to end the game.
Rodgers was among several elite prospects on display at Dunkin' Donuts Park on Friday. Blue Jays No. 2 prospect Bo Bichette went 2-for-5 with a run scored, while No. 3 overall prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 0-for-2 with two walks.

After Rodgers' extended stay in Scottsdale, Black mentioned his top prospect's biggest hurdle between Hartford and Denver would be in the field. Along with solidifying his fundamentals -- footwork, his throwing motion and overall precision -- Black said he'd want to plug Rodgers into an obvious opening in his infield created by an injury or otherwise.
Until then, the future of the Rockies will try to stay patient in Hartford and focus on producing more nights at the plate like Friday.
"I go day by day here," Rodgers said in Arizona. "I don't try to think too far into the future, just get my work done, play my game, get home, get some rest and tomorrow's another day."