The RoundHouse | 2/16/2024 8:51:00 AM
By Paul Suellentrop
Earlier this spring, Wichita State coach
Brian Green dished out tough words to his hitters after a practice.
Junior
Jordan Rogers talked to Green after and took blame for not leading the freshmen.
"Good teammates tend to do that," Green said. "He has been as advertised as a great teammate."
Rogers went to Green because he felt as if he let the freshmen down.
"I was striking out and I didn't want the freshmen to be like 'He isn't competing as hard as he can, so I can do that,'" Rogers said. "I went in, and I was like 'I'm done with this. I'm going to set a good example.'"
Rogers has bad days, like every baseball player. Unlike some, Rogers refuses to let the bad day show. Along with several other veterans, he's taken the lead guiding a roster with 11 returners in Green's first season.
Jordan Rogers
"Jordan's always going to be someone who will pick the other person up," pitcher
Caden Favors. "He's always a smile you can look for in the dugout. He comes over and he has a smile on his face and you kind of forget if something's gone bad."
The Shockers open the season at Little Rock on Friday (noon, ESPN+) with a three-game series. Wichita State went 30-25 last season under interim coach Loren Hibbs and is picked seventh in the 10-team American Athletic Conference. Little Rock is picked first in the Ohio Valley Conference after going 31-23 in 2023.
The role of energy-booster is one of many Rogers, from Robinson, Texas, performs on Wichita State's baseball team. He started at first base, left and center field in his previous two seasons. This season, he will play second base and the outfield.
"He's Mr. Utility for us," catcher
Mauricio Millan said. "He's a guy that adapts. If you had to throw him behind the plate, I think he would sign up for that."
Consider Rogers signed up for everything.
"After the season last year, I had a lot to prove," he said. "At the end of the day, I put it to the side. Now that we've got a new coaching staff, it's 'All right, I'm going to show them what I can do.' I just played hard every single day. If you're going out there and competing for your teammates, it makes everything easier."
As a redshirt freshman, Rogers started 34 games and hit .307 with nine doubles in 2022. Last season, he slumped to .102 in 10 starts. He views this season as a fresh start with a new coaching staff.
"I recognized it," he said. "Now it's a clean slate. It's all in my brain. If I can go out there and play for my teammates and compete the hardest that I can, that's when I tend to have more success."
Even through last season's struggles, Rogers demanded a positive attitude from himself.
Brian Green
"I always tell myself to smile," he said. "I was still able to smile and support my guys. That's who I am."
Green loves that Rogers wants to lead and support. He doesn't want Rogers to carry unnecessary burdens.
"He's such a good kid, such a good team guy, I want to make sure that when he steps on the box that it's his experience and he's not letting the team down or letting the coaches down," Green said. "I can inherently put a little too much pressure on himself because he's such a good kid. It's about the process and wanting to be great."
Part of the process is taking advantage of Rogers' versatility to help coaches experiment with lineups.
Rogers played second base, as well as other spots, in high school. In the fall, coaches noticed his athletic ability and tried him there. He, and many others, will move around, especially early, as coaches evaluate matchups and balance hitting with defensive skills.
"I feel comfortable," he said. "I like to tell myself to do simple better. I try to simplify everything over there."
Rogers, as his career shows, feels comfortable everywhere on the field – outfield, infield and smiling in the dugout.
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
