Miami Marlins Best To Wear Jersey Number Series No. 28: Trevor Rogers

In the last installment of Marlin Maniac's Best To Wear The Miami Marlins Jersey Number Series, you met Miami's best first-round draft pick of the last ten years.

This time you get the second best in the Pride of Carlsbad, Trevor Rogers.

Yep, in a curious wrinkle, consecutive Miami Marlins first round picks ended up choosing consecutive jersey numbers. Marlins 2016 selection Braxton Garrett sported No. 29 for his most productive years, and then Miami went left-handed starting pitcher again in 2017 with Rogers, who eventually switched to No. 28 after a 2020 cameo wearing No. 95. Come to think it, Rogers wins the battle for best to wear that jersey number as well- easy work considering he's the only Marlins player to have ever done so.

As it was with Garrett at No. 29, competition here at No. 28 was rather slim. Although, there are a couple excellent technical answer/smuggles here in a pair of 2003 World Champions. Mike Lowell, wore the number for his first Marlins season in 1999, and Brad Penny took a turn in it from 2000 to 2001. In terms of career Marlins WAR actually wearing the number though, which is the self-imposed rule for this series, Rogers holds the edge over both those franchise stalwarts. John Cangelosi actually had the number on his back when he collected his World Series ring in 1997, but his two seasons come out to a perfect 0.0 on the WAR scale. Scott Cousins and Bryan Holaday took a turn in the number as well- and then the names just get flat out obscure.

With one notable exception- current Miami Marlins slugger Kyle Stowers, one of the very players Rogers was traded to acquire in the first place. With any luck, he takes the title here by midseason, and spends several years padding the lead. Presently he trails Rogers 2.9 to 4.5.

Rogers burst onto the scene for Miami in 2021, just missing out on NL Rookie of the Year honors with a 3.5 WAR, 2.64 ERA that drove him to the All-Star Game. Unfortunately, that was easily his most impactful Marlins season, as regression and injuries limited him the rest of the way. When available, and when the stuff was working, he was plenty of fun to watch. He was also a bizarre Marlins legacy case, as his cousin was the original Pride of Carlsbad, former Marlins outfielder Cody Ross.

At any rate, Rogers gave plenty to the franchise that drafted him by production alone. Throw in the fact that he brought the team Stowers and Connor Norby, and his value stands out all the more.