Alan Roden earns first Triple-A success after promotion to Buffalo Bisons

Alan Roden has only been in Triple-A with the Buffalo Bisons for a few days and he’s already recorded his first hit.

Roden, who is the No. 6 prospect in the Jays Journal Top 30, singled in the seventh inning in his fourth and final plate appearance in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Worchester Red Sox. The hit came after he landed at second base and struck out twice, the first time with the bases loaded in the second inning.

Roden also played the entire game in right field for Buffalo, catching a fly ball in the eighth inning. He also has a nine-inning complete game in left field for the Bisons.

Roden was recalled Thursday night from Double-A New Hampshire, after the Blue Jays called up infielder Addison Barger to the majors. Earlier in the week, the Bisons placed outfielder Nathan Lukes on the 7-day injured list.

For the most part, Roden has shown the ability to get on base consistently. But before the season, Roden said one of his goals was to increase his power at the plate. It seemed like he made some progress in that area this year.

A third-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Roden, 24, was hitting .267 with a .373 on-base percentage in 244 plate appearances with the Fisher Cats. Roden hit 11 doubles and seven home runs with 27 RBIs in 54 games, while sporting an OPS of .805. Roden has also been hit by a pitch seven times this season, while issuing 29 walks against 34 strikeouts. In 100 games over two seasons with New Hampshire, Roden hit .287 with a .395 OBP and an .840 OPS.

After his time at Creighton University, meaning Roden was a Blue Jay before being drafted, Roden joined the Dunedin Blue Jays after 22 games in the Cape Cod League in 2022. The following season, Roden was promoted to the Vancouver Canadians, where he hit .321 with a .437 OBP and an .896 OPS over 323 plate appearances in 69 games. Roden hit four home runs, scored 57 runs and drove in 41 runs, while walking 42 times and striking out just 32 times.

This earned him a mid-season promotion to the Fisher Cats for 46 games. Between Vancouver and New Hampshire, Roden has 29 doubles and 10 home runs in 115 games during the 2023 season.

Roden received an invitation to the Blue Jays’ spring training in February and played in 11 preseason games. He went 6 for 24 with a double, two home runs, five runs scored and six more scored.