Colorado Rockies prospects: Talking with Brendan Rodgers, more

While the Hartford Yard Goats were in Harrisburg, Pa., for a series against the Harrisburg Senators last week, several of the players gave interviews to Rox Pile about a variety of topics. Some of the players interviewed include Colorado Rockies top prospect Brendan Rodgers and newly acquired reliever Mitch Horacek. Here are some of the questions and answers from those interviews.

Warren Schaeffer, Manager.

ROX PILE: So, what’s the season been like for you guys as a team? You started 0-6, then won seven in a row, and now have dropped a couple in a row. What’s it been like during those down times to keep positive and during the up times to just keep winning?

Schaeffer: “When you got a good team like we do, you can’t get down when you’re 0-6. None of the guys got down. You can’t panic. I didn’t panic. None of the guys panicked. We know what kind of club we got and that seven-game win streak was nice for us and we expect a lot of that. These last couple of games, we lost. We played a good ball team down there in Richmond, but it was a good experience with a lot of fans. Tough one-run game yesterday, but we’re feeling good.”

Colorado Rockies

ROX PILE: What’s it been like for Brendan Rodgers as he shifts towards playing third base from his usual shortstop and second base positions?

Schaeffer: “He’s good, he’s good. He’s just learning it and the in-game stuff is when he’s going to learn the most positioning-wise, situationally, when he’s going to have to play in, back, and just see what swings look like from that side of the infield. But, he’s great and it’s fun as a manager to watch, to be able to put guys all over the place and have them succeed.

Brendan Rodgers, #12 prospect in all of baseball according to Baseball Prospectus.

ROX PILE: So you’ve been transitioning towards third base and today was your third game there. I could really see you working over there during batting practice. What has that transition been like for you?

Rodgers: “It’s been good. It is definitely something new, but I just want to be as versatile as I can. I want to be able to play any infield position and I’m just working my butt off to learn all three as best I can.”

ROX PILE: Earlier in the season, you had the chance to go out to Spring Training with the big league club for a while. What was that like?

Rodgers: “It was good. It was a good experience and I learned a lot from those guys, just picking their brains. Nolan (Arenado), DJ (LeMahieu), (Trevor) Story, definitely a good group to learn from and I just tried to learn something new every day.”

ROX PILE: You started the season a little slow, hitting .143 through the first week of the season, but have definitely gotten back on track and are up to a nearly .300 batting average now. What has the approach been like at the plate through all of that?

Rodgers: “I just tried to stay consistent and calm and stick to my approach at the plate and not throw away at-bats. I just had to stay on my feet and try to put a good swing on the ball every time.”

Mitch Horacek, relief pitcher who pitched in the Baltimore Orioles system from 2013 to 2017, but is a native of Littleton, Colo.

ROX PILE: What’s it like being traded to your home town team after spending a few years in a different organization?

Horacek: “It’s been really fun. I grew up watching the Rockies and you know I went to a lot of games when I was a little kid, so it’s really cool to be playing with the Rockies logo on my chest and hat. It’s just really cool.”

ROX PILE: What about back in 2010 when you were originally drafted by the Rockies in the 46th round. Was it a tough decision to turn that down and go to college? 

Horacek: “You know it really wasn’t. I was a really late draft pick and I knew I wanted to go to school and I feel like the Rockies kind of drafted me as a courtesy pick, but it ended up being a really good thing for me. It has allowed me some other opportunities, like playing on college summer ball teams, and it wasn’t really a decision at all. In fact, they didn’t actually even offer me a contract or anything.”

ROX PILE: With the Rockies, you’ve been relieving more, whereas with the Orioles you were more of a starter. What has that transition been like?

Horacek: “It was good. I mean starting is pretty hard, you have to get the lineup out three times usually and you have to have three or four pitches going. Relieving is a little different. You go in there and go all out for an inning or two with your best one or two pitches and that has suited my skill set the best, so I have really enjoyed it.”

Next: Why the Rockies won't rush Brendan Rodgers to MLB

ROX PILE: You spent three years at the Hi-A level and now you’ve moved up to the Double-A level. What’s the biggest change you’ve noticed?

Horacek: “I’d say the pace of play is a lot different, a lot quicker. The hitters have a better approach, and just overall everyone is a little better, it’s just better quality baseball. But it’s been a lot more fun, the games are just a lot more exciting for me.”