Should've Been a Chief #4

*** This is post #2 of 5 featuring my favorite young Cubs prospects who should have been a Peoria Chief in 2013.

 Player #4 - Rock Shoulders - First Base / Outfielder

Roderick D. Shoulders was drafted in the 20th round of the 2010 June Amateur Draft by the Cubs.  Although he played in eight games for Mesa in rookie ball in 2011, he didn't get his first extended taste of professional baseball until he donned a Boise Hawks cap this past summer.   He was featured mostly at first base, but also received a little playing time in the outfield.

Rock is built like a football player, more specifically, a linebacker.  He's six-feet-two and tips the scales at 225.  He's a left-handed hitter with tremendous power potential.  Yes, I like power hitters, but there's other reasons to like Rock:

1)  When I played baseball, and even now when I play slow-pitch softball, I sport the high socks.  I know there was some proclamation made by Cubs' front office decreeing that ALL of their minor league players wear high socks.  Doesn't matter.  Some guys can pull it off and some can't.  Mr. Shoulders?  Yeah, he's rocking those high stockings.
2)  Creativity.  Just look at Rock's screen name on Twitter.  How did he get those baseballs in there?  A man with multiple O's in his full name would like to know!
3)  The name.  He doesn't go by The Rock, just Rock.  I like it.  A very solid name, indeed.  Combine it with his surname and you have Minor League Baseball's winner of the Moniker Madness Bracket for the 2012 season.  

 The downside to not having any name recognition, until this year at least, is that Rock only has one baseball card available that I am aware of.  Unfortunately, I don't own the 2012 Boise Hawks team set.  But here's a decent enough picture of the card for those interested.

If I had to guess, I would say that Rock will start the 2013 in Kane County with an opportunity to participate in his first full-season league.  In Peoria, he would probably have played first base or right field, and that would have been perfect!  My usual seats are behind the tarp, first row, on the first base side, within earshot of both the first baseman and the right fielder.    Another future Cub who's going to miss out on the solid cheering section that my friends and I bring to the ballpark.  So it goes. 

Good luck next year, Rock!