Trevor Rogers on his potential 2025 pitch mix including a new offering on tap

For Orioles lefty Trevor Rogers, the key to getting some velocity back and hopefully his previous big league form with it could come from his legs.

During this previous interview here with Rogers, he said weight room work will be big for him this winter. And that he learned via trips to Driveline Baseball in Phoenix, that his lower body strength was not what was needed. 

“The Orioles and Driveline, we’ve been in constant communication, just making sure we are all on the same page,” said Rogers, 27. “We looked at the numbers and my lower body strength was far below average. So, it correlates with velocity.

“To be honest I was happy to see that. If everything was right in the middle or average, we might have a bigger question. But knowing that was lacking and it contributed to my lower velocity, I was excited to know there is an answer. And I can work to attain the goal of getting stronger.”

Last year Rogers was traded from Miami to the Orioles on July 30^th for Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers. He had a 7.11 ERA in four O’s starts before being sent to the minors where he finished the year at Triple-A Norfolk. He made one terrible start for the Tides (pitching when he was ill), but had an ERA of 2.96 his last four Tides starts.

Being fully healthy and able to get after it in the weight room, could help Rogers regain previous velocity. He was second for the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2021 when his average fastball velocity was 94.5 mph. Last season that had dropped to 91.9 mph.

His average velocity in his four O’s starts was 91.3, 91.5, 90.4 and 91.1 mph.

In addition to what he hopes will be added velocity, Rogers' pitch mix could undergo alterations as well.

Rogers, who had a K percentage of 28.5 in 2021, saw that drop to 17.3 last season between Miami and Baltimore. Where he threw his fastball 57.7 percent in 2021, that percentage was down to 31.7 last year.

Rogers said he expects to use a two-seam and four-seam fastball next year in addition to a breaking ball/sweeper type of pitch, a changeup and for the first time ever for him, a cutter. He’s never thrown one in a major league game but expects that to change moving forward.

While the Orioles were getting ready for and taking part in the 2024 MLB playoffs, Rogers was in Sarasota, Fla. working with Forrest Herrmann, who is expected to be named the O’s director of pitching development in 2025, as MASNSports.com previously reported.

Herrmann showed Rogers a cutter grip and the results were positive.

“It was very tight, with very late action and it kind of looked like a fastball for a very long time. Forrest and I were very pleased with it,” said Rogers, who will incorporate the pitch during spring training.

Armed with additional lower body strength and a more potent fastball while tweaking his pitch mix, Rogers hopes will prove to be enough to earn a rotation spot for an O’s team that holds his team control through the 2026 season.

If he needs any additional motivation, he said he may draw on the fact he knows he has doubters out there after last year. His first impression as an Oriole was not good. Rogers is aware that plenty of fans and media may look at the 2025 rotation candidates and see him as a long shot.

“It definitely is a little bit of fuel (to prove doubters wrong),” he said. “I’d be naïve to think going into spring I have a job lined up. I don’t think that is the case. I’m in the mix but I have to go compete for a job. Have to prove to myself and everyone there that I deserved a spot. People are going to say what they are going to say, at the end of the day it doesn’t really bother me. I know what I am capable of. Now I have to do it.“