Colin Rodgers Player Profile

Wilmington, DE--The Kansas City Royals certainly wanted Blue Rocks pitcher Colin Rodgers. The organization proved that when they gave the 2012 third-round pick a $700,000 signing bonus--almost a quarter-million above slot. They remain bullish on the left-hander's future despite a serious elbow injury in 2013 that resulted in Tommy John Surgery. Rodgers returned to the mound in 2014, and struggled statistically each of the next two seasons. In 2014 he made one start for Idaho Falls (Pioneer League) and then finished the campaign with the Burlington Royals (Appalachian League) going 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA in six outings. Last year he split the campaign between the bullpen and the starting rotation with the Lexington Legends, posting a 3-11 mark, one save and a 5.02 ERA in 24 appearances (eight starts). Still, scouts love his stuff. MLB.com says his best pitch as an amateur was his curveball. While he still sports a solid hook, the website is even more impressed by the way his changeup has developed since the surgery and how he consistently works in the bottom of the zone. Rodgers missed almost two weeks in late-May with a strained abdominal muscle. He returned On May 26, and pitched out of the bullpen twice to work his way back into rhythm. He has been much better at home this season (2.95 ERA) than on the road (5.79).  

LEARNING FROM THOSE WHO HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE: Tommy John Surgery can be an intimidating thing, and that was certainly the case going into the process for Rodgers in 2013. "I didn't really know too many guys before I had the surgery who had gone through it before," Rodgers says. "So I really didn't have much to base things off of. But I got in touch with some guys that also had the surgery when I was going through the process and I was able to keep asking them how they're feeling and what they're doing. That helped a lot because I could know if I was on track or a little behind or whatever."

GRUELING REHAB: "I think the hardest part about rehabbing from the injury is getting back to my old stuff and who I was before Tommy John," Rodgers says. "Particularly my mechanical stuff. Just trying to develop everything that I had before the surgery because I'm basically coming back here with a new arm so I have to reteach myself everything. All-in-all the rehab was good and was definitely more of a mental process than a physical one." 

DEVELOPING AS A PITCHER: The injury may have changed Rodgers a little, but the Royals still love what he brings to the table. Just as impressive as Rodgers' physical ability is the confidence the southpaw has himself and the feel he has for what he is capable of. "I think I command the zone pretty well," Rodgers says. "I try to get outs in three-pitches-or-less because I'm not a big power guy that's going to strike everyone out. So I've got to pitch to my strengths, which is to miss barrels. I work in my fastball (88-to-92 MPH) and then to keep them off balance I go to the changeup, and then whenever I need to I can use that curveball. Rodgers agrees with scouts about the evolution of his change. "I don't have a preference when it comes to my changeup. In the past I used to have a preference to throw it exclusively to righties being a left-handed pitcher, but I have learned over the years that it has been effective against lefties as well. So now I'll throw it against any batter, in any count, but especially when I'm behind in the count. It's definitely a contact pitch to try and produce outs quickly so I don't get deep into counts."