Taylor Rogers - 2014

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

 

Taylor Rogers was drafted by the Twins in the 11^thround of the 2012 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Kentucky (Note: Andrew Albers, Logan Darnell, Lance Ray, and Alex Meyer also hail from the same school). Seth Stohs quotes Rogers on being selected to play in the Twins organization: “During the draft, it was a possibility that the Twins were interested, but I just wanted to be taken at some point. After it all settled in, I was very thankful that it was the Twins because of their reputation with developing minor league players and drafting well-rounded individuals.”

The 6’3” lefthander began the 2013 campaign in Cedar Rapids but was quickly promoted to Fort Myers where he led the Florida State League in complete games and shutouts and ranked second in ERA (2.55) and third in wins (11-6). Rogers posted 83 strikeouts in 130.2 innings pitched, while walking 32. His WHIP is a very respectable 1.156, while yielding only 5 home runs.

More from Seth Stohs: “Rogers works quickly and efficiently, getting quick outs and eating a lot of innings. He had three complete games (2 shutouts) for the Miracle. That doesn’t count his nine shutout innings in his Miracle playoff start. He has a low 90s fastball and a good slider. He has good command. He was my choice for Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year.”

 

Rogers will open the 2014 season in New Britain's starting rotation.

 

Here's an end-of-season interview from NaplesNews.Com: http://swflmoms.com/videos/detail/miracles-taylor-rogers/

 

And, although it's a little dated, some video of him warming up & pitching in the Cape Cod League: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IexOqMIXKFo

Note: quotes were taken from Twins Daily Articles: “MTPH2014:Award-Winner Stories” (posted 12/18/2013) and “Minnesota Twins Top 50Prospects: 16-20” (posted 11/1/2013)

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

 

It is a big jump--or a flying leap--from the Florida State League to the Eastern League—from Single A ball to Double A. Taylor Rogers learned that hard lesson Saturday as the Flying Squirrels of Richmond munched on the lefthander’s offerings. Rogers lasted four innings against the flying rodents, as Richmond cracked nine hits, scoring nine runs—seven earned. Rogers threw 80 pitches, 54for strikes, and managed to hit the 9^th squirrel in Richmond’sbatting order, Skyler Stromsmoe. He left the mound in the top of the fifth witha 15.75 ERA. http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2014_04_05_ricaax_nbraax_1&t=g_box&sid=milb

 

Matt Straub, Sports Writer for the Bristol Press, covered the game:

“Things got off to a bad start for New Britain (1-2) in the first inning. Richmond scored in the top of the first for the third day in a row, this time getting some help from the Rock Cats. Tyler Graham singled to start the game and eventually scored on an error by New Britain shortstop Aderling Mejia. Richmond’s offense did its own work in the third, putting the game away with four runs against New Britain starter Taylor Rogers. The highlight of the inning was a long home run to right field by Richmond’s Jarrett Parker which plated three. Rogers gave up three hits in a row to start theframe and never recovered.

Three more came in the fourth, and another shot by AngelVillalona to start the fifth ended Rogers’ day after seven earned runs and nine overall.

“He’s going to be fine,” Smith said of Rogers. “This isn’t the first time it’s happened where a young starter has come up here and givenup some runs. Next time he’ll be much better for it.’”

http://www.bristolpress.com/articles/2014/04/06/sports/doc5340c670a8d83760495001.txt

Rogers’ next scheduled turn in the rotation should arrive onThursday, April 10^th, as the Rock Cats face the Portland Sea Dogs as they open their 20^th season at Hadlock Field, famous for the “Maine Monster” a 37’ high wall that mirrors the height of a certain wall in the Sea Dog’s parental home—Fenway Park.

Here’s to hoping that Mr. Rogers can someday visit theFenway-Kenmore Neighborhood in a Twins uniform. He has some work ahead of him.The season is young, the kid is a talent, and those pesky squirrels are in the rearview mirror.

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

Taylor Rogers showed some progress in his second start of the year as the New Britain Rock Cats fell to the Portland Sea Dogs, 11-2, at Hadlock Field.

 

Progress.

 

Progress looks like a ERA that drops from 15.75 to 13.5. Progress looks like seven strikeouts over four innings. Progress looks like only one walk over his first two starts, totaling eight innings. Progress is avoiding the long ball. Rogers surrendered two big flies in his first start--none over the Maine Monster--perhaps reverting back to the pattern he displayed in the Florida State League, where he gave up only 5 homers over 130.2 innings.

 

 

The minor leagues is all about learning how to pitch, and not just throw. So here's to a steep learning curve in the Class AA Eastern League, Taylor. Here's to progress...

 

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

More on progress...

 

I haven't posted for two weeks, due to some unforeseen work issues, but here's a quick update on our 2013 Twins Daily Starting Pitcher of the Year. More progress.

 

 

If success in the minor leagues is moving up one level each year, Taylor Rogers may still approach a mastery of AA, if he continues on the current trend. Here are some numbers over Rogers' first four starts:

 

IP ERA

4/5 vs. Richmond: 4.0 15.75

4/11 at Portland: 4.0 11.25

4/18 vs. Portland: 4.1 8.31

4/25 vs. New Hamp: 6.0 4.50

18.1 9.33

 

Matt Straub of the Bristol Press reports: "Taylor Rogers, who had lost his first three starts in New Britain, found himself in quite a bit of trouble Thursday, but worked his way out of it and surrendered just three runs in six innings. His innings have risen in each of his last three starts and his runs allowed has decreased in every start."

 

At that rate of improvement, Mr. Rogers should be throwing no-hitters by September, in time to move into the Rochester neighborhood in 2015... All the same, the key is to move up a level each year. So far, Rogers has struck out 21 over 18.1 innings pitched. And he's a lefty, and he has a pulse...

 

For now, consider him the reverse Clint Eastwood in 2014, so far displaying the Ugly, and the Bad. Next start, we just may see the Good...

 

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

Taylor Rogers notched his first victory of the 2014 campaign, as the Rock Cats defeated the Senators 6-3 as part of a May Day doubleheader in Harrisburg. It was the first start where Rogers posted a WHIP below 1. He was strong in the middle innings, retiring nine in a row before he ran into trouble in the fifth inning, when he surrendered three hits, including a run-scoring double and a two-run homer. Rogers came back to pitch a perfect sixth before yielding the mound to Lester Oliveros who earned his fourth save.

 

Improvement continues for the young lefthander. Progress, Progress, Progress. Here's a roster link to the New Britain website, and Rogers' statistical progress over his first five starts: http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=t538&t=p_pbp&pid=573124

[halfchest]

I like his K/BB 26/5 of 24 innings so far. That is certainly encouraging. I noticed opponents are hitting .336 against him. That is sure to come down as the year before opponents hit only .248 at Fort Myers. However, the K's will also likely fall down at some point as well.

 

Hopefully he continues to improve. If he can show he can handle AA then the guys got a shot someday.

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

Maybe Taylor Rogers has a progress chart like the one above, taped inside his locker. All I know is that the kid continues to show "off the charts" improvement every time he takes the mound.

 

Last night that trend continued as Rogers shut out Trenton over 6.1 innings, his longest outing of the 2014 season. Once again, Rogers was particularly effective in the middle innings, when he stole the Thunder's bats for the third and fourth innings.

How's this for a statistical progression? Over the past six starts, Rogers' per game ERA and opponents batting average have dropped at the following rates:

 

ERA: 15.75 (4/5) 11.25 (4/11) 8.31 (4/18) 4.50 (4/25) 4.50 (5/1) 0.00 (5/7)

 

BA: .409 .400 .316 .346 .217 .217

 

After last night's performance, Rogers can put another sticker on his progress board. It will be difficult to continue such an amazing progression along the winding road to the major leagues.

 

[halfchest]

This guy deserves an update. He just finished what was probably his best start of the year. 8 IP 11 K's 1 BB 6 Hits and 1 ER. Dang. His overall ERA is down to 3.90 after a rocky start but over his last ten he's at a 2.45 ERA according to Milb but I notice it only has partial stats for todays game up. so tack on two more scoreless innings to that number. He's also gone at least 6 Innings in each of these starts with a few 7 IP performances, todays 8 IP, and a complete game.

 

For a guy drafted out of the top ten rounds he's looking like he could be a contributor soon. At 23 years old for this whole season he's not young but he's certainly not old either.

[jokin]

This guy deserves an update. He just finished what was probably his best start of the year. 8 IP 11 K's 1 BB 6 Hits and 1 ER. Dang. His overall ERA is down to 3.90 after a rocky start but over his last ten he's at a 2.45 ERA according to Milb but I notice it only has partial stats for todays game up. so tack on two more scoreless innings to that number. He's also gone at least 6 Innings in each of these starts with a few 7 IP performances, todays 8 IP, and a complete game.

 

For a guy drafted out of the top ten rounds he's looking like he could be a contributor soon. At 23 years old for this whole season he's not young but he's certainly not old either.

 

Rogers is 1.8 years under the average age for AA- and the rate the Twins promote SPs, they probably consider him on the "young" side. He has been unlucky this year, but if the Twins are looking for consistency, he has now pitched 11 of his last 12 games at a Quality Start or better, and as you noted, has been getting much better, culminating into today's terrific performance. I think to make it in the majors, he's going to need to get that K% back up to where it was a couple years ago at Kentucky- and he's got a lot of arms blocking him at AAA and in the majors- plus Berrios and Wheeler at his heels- that he's going to have to flat-out outperform.