Brent Rooker

[MsStateBaseball]

I believe he is a pretty good hitter! He sure is doing good. Anyone know his recruiting story.

[Todd4State]

I don't know the back story or anything, but I'm sure he played for Dulin's. He participated in the National Power Showcase and represented the state of Tennessee, but the thing about him is he has MLB size and he runs a 4.6 40.

I really think his issue last year was simply believing that he belonged in the SEC. But that's the good thing about summer ball- guys can build their confidence up and become the players that they can be.

I know the coaches like Joey Swinarski, but Rooker's .367 AVG with 2 home runs is going to be hard to ignore at the moment.

We're going to have more power next year because of Rea, Collins, and Humphreys as well as Britton- but if Swinarski and Rooker play well enough where they can get into the lineup, we would have a pretty powerful lineup. At the same time, if it doesn't happen for Swinarski and Rooker next year, they still have time to develop.

[643DP]

Brent played for the East Coast baseball organization out of Memphis...same organization Cole Gordon plays for...I watched Cole drop a tank out of the park at East Cobb this afternoon at the Perfect Game 18u National Championship...he did the same last weekend at Samford...very good looking first baseman who can rake. 6'5" 230 lbs. and built very solidly. Ball flies off his bat. Pull hitter right now but will learn to use more of the field.

[War Machine Dawg]

If you're still counting on Rea as an offensive power threat, I don't know what to say. Outside of last year's NCAAT, he's essentially been an offensive non-factor. I just can't see him making some tremendous offensive jump unless we retool his entire approach, mechanically and mentally.

[MsStateBaseball]

I really like Cole Gordon. I think he has lots of potential.

[engie]

I'm pretty high on Rooker and Ingram both. Was really surprised when we redshirted both as well as Swinarski, especially when we proved to have no power to speak of. They are going to be good for us in the next couple of years...

I walked through the player pass gate with him at SBW -- and 6'4 seems to be slighting him a bit.

[DogDaddy]

I know the family pretty well. Brent was recruited fairly heavily as a QB, too. He committed to MSU fairly early in the process but had significant baseball interest/offers from several D-1 schools. If I'm not mistaken, I think I saw a tweet that he hit another HR yesterday.

He also has a younger brother that is a catcher and will be a high level prospect. I think he's a freshman or sophomore and caught some varsity baseball as an 8th grader.

[DogDaddy]

I know the family pretty well. Brent was recruited fairly heavily as a QB, too. He committed to MSU fairly early in the process but had significant baseball interest/offers from several D-1 schools. If I'm not mistaken, I think I saw a tweet that he hit another HR yesterday.

He also has a younger brother that is a catcher and will be a high level prospect. I think he's a freshman or sophomore and caught some varsity baseball as an 8th grader.

[MsStateBaseball]

Thanks, DogDaddy. We got a really good player.

[shoeless joe]

If you're still counting on Rea as an offensive power threat, I don't know what to say. Outside of last year's NCAAT, he's essentially been an offensive non-factor. I just can't see him making some tremendous offensive jump unless we retool his entire approach, mechanically and mentally.

I agree with you that I don't think he will make a huge jump. But some improvement wouldn't surprise me at all. Hopefully the new baseballs make a difference here but we will see.

Also, please explain the me what he needs to do different from a mechanics stand point? His approach could use a big overhaul but mechanically he is fairly sound. The main thing he has to work on is pitch recognition so he doesn't have to be such a guess hitter without the ability to adjust.

[643DP]

Wes Rea just needs a couple power hitters around him...it's easy to pitch around one power hitter...u won't see much to hit....then frustration sets in...then average drops.

[messageboardsuperhero]

I've always liked Rooker and Ingram's potential. Rooker especially has all the tools- he just needs to grow into his body and learn how to use that size and speed.

I'm also a HUGE Cole Gordon fan. His bat is probably going to need to be in the lineup everyday, starting in 2016. It's been a while since we had a legit, big-time power threat from the left side, and Gordon has the potential to be that for us.

[Todd4State]

If you're still counting on Rea as an offensive power threat, I don't know what to say. Outside of last year's NCAAT, he's essentially been an offensive non-factor. I just can't see him making some tremendous offensive jump unless we retool his entire approach, mechanically and mentally.

We'll see what happens. I do think that he will be better because of Collins and Humphreys being around him in the lineup and because of the new baseball. Since he hit 5 home runs last year, I think it's very reasonable to expect him to hit more than that given the factors surrounding him.

[Todd4State]

Brent played for the East Coast baseball organization out of Memphis...same organization Cole Gordon plays for...I watched Cole drop a tank out of the park at East Cobb this afternoon at the Perfect Game 18u National Championship...he did the same last weekend at Samford...very good looking first baseman who can rake. 6'5" 230 lbs. and built very solidly. Ball flies off his bat. Pull hitter right now but will learn to use more of the field.

I had forgotten that Rooker played for the East Coast Grays (I think). Gordon is going to be a good player, but the thing that I really like about him is he is a LH power guy which is something we don't really have right now. I had him and Jesse McCord as third and fourth most likely to get drafted by Vallot and Burdick. considering our luck in the draft this year, I'm glad he wasn't taken.

[Todd4State]

Wes Rea just needs a couple power hitters around him...it's easy to pitch around one power hitter...u won't see much to hit....then frustration sets in...then average drops.

Exactly.

[Todd4State]

I'm pretty high on Rooker and Ingram both. Was really surprised when we redshirted both as well as Swinarski, especially when we proved to have no power to speak of. They are going to be good for us in the next couple of years...

I walked through the player pass gate with him at SBW -- and 6'4 seems to be slighting him a bit.

Rooker didn't perform very well in the fall. I think it was more of a confidence issue with him, which will be resolved in time. Ingram played at a really small high school in Montgomery and he had a bigger jump to make than some of the other players.

[CadaverDawg]

You guys are getting a little early wool growth started about the next few years. Sounds like we have some stud pitchers AND hitters coming in. If we can get what we think we can out of Hudson, Tatum, Sexton, etc....It will put us in great shape pitching wise for the next 4-6 years just combining those guys with the incoming pitchers.

Do you guys see several "Ace" or strong #2 guys in the group you're discussing in this thread? Based on your comments after seeing these recruits, we may have a stable of solid starters in the near future. Getting 5-7 innings vs 3-5 out of our starters sure would be a great thing to see soon

[Todd4State]

You guys are getting a little early wool growth started about the next few years. Sounds like we have some stud pitchers AND hitters coming in. If we can get what we think we can out of Hudson, Tatum, Sexton, etc....It will put us in great shape pitching wise for the next 4-6 years just combining those guys with the incoming pitchers.

Do you guys see several "Ace" or strong #2 guys in the group you're discussing in this thread? Based on your comments after seeing these recruits, we may have a stable of solid starters in the near future. Getting 5-7 innings vs 3-5 out of our starters sure would be a great thing to see soon

Jesse McCord has the ability to be an ace. This class coming in wasn't as strong as far as pitching for us IMO compared to Hudson, Tatum, etc. class and the 2015 class with Riley, Padgett, Hughes, etc, but at the same time we got some guys that will be very solid in Paxton Stover and Aaron Dominguez. We are taking a chance on Andrew Mahoney because he had Tommy John surgery and missed his senior year- but to me that's a fairly low risk high reward type situation. I think Stover and Dominguez will be similar to Ross and Pollorena for us. Mahoney when healthy can be a closer.

[KB21]

Rooker's slash line in the New England Collegiate League is 0.349/0.417/0.581, which comes out to a whopping 0.998 OPS. His IsoP is 0.233, which is fantastic.

[Todd4State]

Rooker's slash line in the New England Collegiate League is 0.349/0.417/0.581, which comes out to a whopping 0.998 OPS. His IsoP is 0.233, which is fantastic.

And I think he hit another home run today, so he's up to 3 now.

[KB21]

The team has some guys with some pop in their bats. Reid Humphreys, Brent Rooker, Dylan Ingram, Cole Gardner, and Joey Swinarski. I'm just curious to see how they end up getting these guys in the line up from a defensive standpoint. Throw in Gavin Collins at catcher as a guy who has flashed some pull power as well.

Austin Riley is a big hitter that we have coming in as well. Does he hit and pitch, or will they just focus on his pitching?

[MsStateBaseball]

Riley will be Pete Young do over. Close and play 3B.

[Todd4State]

Riley will be Pete Young do over. Close and play 3B.

I think Riley could possibly be a starter. We'll have to figure it out once he gets to campus and see if he can handle hitting and pitching. I do think he can be a legit dual threat guy.

[KB21]

Who is the better third base prospect? Reid Humphreys or Austin Riley?

[Todd4State]

IMO, Humphreys if we're talking about third base only.

I think Riley could play third in college, but I like him better as a 1B/DH maybe in part because I think it's probably easier to be a dual position guy at first than third. Some of it may be because I see Riley as comparable to Stephen Head in college too.