Brent Rooker
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Rooker is the type of slugging corner player whose value has diminished at the highest level in recent years. The 35th overall pick in 2017 from Mississippi State, he has moved quickly to the upper minors but was old for that draft class and came out of college a relatively finished product. Rooker excels at what he can do—and struggles mightily in other areas—but his production is at least fairly predictable. He’s going to hit the ball out of the park, take walks, strike out, and bring limited defensive value between LF or 1B. He’s doing all of those things in Triple-A right now, though cutting down a whiff rate that’s currently above 30-percent will need to be a priority before reaching the big leagues. In the best-case scenario, Rooker’s power outweighs low-grade hit and defensive tools such that he winds up a low-end corner regular. His track record of handling same-side righties (a bit unusual for this type of profile) could help him reach that upside, though his bat-only status could relegate him to FV 40 or Quad-A territory quickly if he doesn’t mash. |
