Middle Tennessee baseball has a lot of depth this year, and even though it’s a good problem, good players will have to sit and wait their turn. Redshirt freshman Brett Rogers is one of those, as he wasn’t a starter to begin the season, and in his first appearance on opening weekend, he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. However, the next time he got a chance to contribute, he would not waste it, collecting two base knocks against FDU. But the big game would come a few days later against the Austin Peay Govs.

With starting left fielder Keaton Ray not playing due to back stiffness, Rogers stepped in and was the hero of a 10-9 victory on Tuesday, where he went 4-for-4 with three RBI.

“It means a lot, more than you know [contributing to the team]. That redshirt year, you sit there and grind and watch everyone else, knowing there’s no chance you go in,” Rogers said. “But you sit there and know it will be worth it one day, so it felt good.”

His first hit would come in the second with a two-out double down the line, leading to two runs after Hayden Miller went yard. Rogers would come up with his first clutch hit the next inning after APSU had taken a 4-2 lead. It did not last long as Nathan Brewer drove in a run, and then the Chattanooga, Tennessee native laced a two-run single up the middle to put the Blue Raiders back on top.

Rogers would come up with another hit a few innings later, then collect his fourth base knock of the night in the seventh. Kenny McKinley stood on third following a leadoff triple but would quickly score as the outfielder ripped his second double of the game to score the 10th and deciding run of a tremendous midweek battle.

For him to not even be an everyday starter but to come off the bench and produce like he did is a testament to the depth of this Blue Raider team. In the postgame press conference, MTSU head coach Jerry Meyers spoke highly of the redshirt freshman.

“Brett Rogers is one of the most improved players since he’s been here. Only been here a year and a half, he redshirted last year and got more physical,” said Meyers. “He's a high-strung kid. He struck out twice in his first game, so we sat him briefly to calm down, and he kept working. He has one of our better, more consistent swings and can run.”

This won’t be the last time you hear his name in 2025. Rogers offers good defense, great speed, and a good bat, making him a valuable player that MTSU can plug in as a designated hitter or in the outfield. On the year, he’s batting .600 with four RBIs in just 10 at-bats, and he will be used more throughout the season.