Colorado Rockies prospect Brendan Rodgers looks to keep same approach in Double-A

VISALIA, Calif. — When the Colorado Rockies announced that top prospect Brendan Rodgers was going to be promoted to Double-A Hartford following the California League All-Star Game, considering how well the infielder has been playing at High-A Lancaster, the move shouldn’t surprise anybody.

Rodgers, who has a line of .400/.419/.700 in 222 plate appearances for Lancaster, said he had known since Sunday June 18 that he was going to be promoted, but that the news wasn’t going to be broken until Wednesday.

“I guess everyone knows now,” Rodgers said.

He said he doesn’t know exactly where he’ll be playing, position-wise, but assumes he’ll still be playing the middle of the infield and continue what he’s been doing this season.

Though Rodgers has mostly played shortstop and has only started four games at second base this season and 24 games at second base at Class-A Asheville in 2016, he said he’s been putting in a lot of work at the position pre-game.

“I like to go over there at second base and take ground balls and turn double plays and stuff like that,” Rodgers said. “It's a lot different than shortstop. I just gotta get used to it and, wherever at the next level they want me to play, I gotta play there.”

The park in Lancaster has weird conditions that make it famous for high scoring games. From the high altitude to the heavy winds, it’s easily one of the best hitter’s parks in the California League. Rodgers said it’s a good place to hit, but it’s not the hard hit balls that often find its way for a hit.

“Those balls that are falling over second base, over the shortstop's head, that are little blooper hits make up for the balls you hit hard and you line out or something like that,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers said that getting the pitch elevated over the plate is key for him, along with getting a good swing on it.

“Getting in hitter's counts, stuff like that,” Rodgers said of his approach at the plate. “There's a bunch of good pitchers in [the Cal] league so they're gonna challenge you with their plus fastball, or a plus off-speed pitch.”

This is the approach Rodgers hopes will continue his success in Hartford.

“I'm just going to continue the way I'm playing,” Rodgers said. “Playing hard and playing the game the right way and hopefully everything goes well.”