Brent Rooker, outfielder for the Oakland A’s, was recently named AL Player of the Week in the MLB. Rooker, relatively unknown to most, is no stranger to Mississippi State University Baseball fans. Rooker and Rafael Palmeiro, each being former bulldogs, are the only two players in SEC history to ever win college baseball’s coveted Triple Crown Award. This award is only given on the occasion that a player leads the nation in batting average, home runs, and RBIs. After being drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 2017, Rooker was traded to the Padres, then to the Royals, and most recently signed with the Oakland A’s in late 2022.
Although Rooker has achieved the greatest award in college baseball, his pro career has been lackluster, to say the least, until recently. After spending most of his career flip flopping between the minor and major leagues, Rooker has finally made his impact with the A’s. From April 24 to April 30, Rooker went 10 for 24, along with five home runs. After batting a mere .234 over the span of his three-year MLB career, Rooker has started out the season batting a whopping .353.
So far this season, Rooker has been one of the sole bright spots for the A’s. In fact, the 2023 Oakland A’s set the MLB record for most losses in a season before May 1. If the A’s can get some consistency from their pitching, Rooker’s impact could mean something more. However, the question is, can Rooker keep up the pace? Only time can tell.
