<p>In today&#8217;s matchup with the Cardinals, Blue Jays&#8217; catcher Robert Brooks had his first big moment of the spring: a towering home run off of big league reliever Nick Anderson in the 9th inning. Although it didn&#8217;t change the result (the Blue Jays lost 9-5), it may have earned him more reps moving forward.</p>
<p>At first glance, Brooks shares an uncanny resemblance to current Blue Jay and fan favourite Davis Schneider.</p>
<p>They stand at similar statures (Brooks is five-foot-eight, Schneider five-foot-nine), and each sport a mustache and prescription Oakleys look. The 26-year-old will try to follow Schneider&#8217;s footsteps as a mostly unheralded prospect who plays his way into a big league role.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Robert Brooks homers (1) on a line drive to left center field (03/15/25)<br />Hang: 5.7s | Fielder Distance: 172ft.</p>
<p>Catch Odds: 9%<br />💥 Home Run<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForTheLou?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForTheLou</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TOTHECORE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TOTHECORE</a><br />🎥:  <a href="https://t.co/VmxLdGPU6a">https://t.co/VmxLdGPU6a</a> <a href="https://t.co/mRbMDg51Y0">pic.twitter.com/mRbMDg51Y0</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Not Caught Bot (@NotCaughtBot) <a href="https://twitter.com/NotCaughtBot/status/1900996984728653874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h3>Journey to the Blue Jays organization</h3>
<p>After slugging an astounding 66 home runs and slashing .353/.481/.652 at Division II Columbus State, he had a standout showing in the MLB Draft League. This led to him signing a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays as a non-drafted free agent in March of 2023. Injuries limited him to just nine rookie-ball games that season, with the team deciding to release him before the 2024 season.</p>
<p>Brooks pivoted to the Atlantic League, routinely viewed as one of, if not the best Independent league, in North America outside of affiliated ball. He slashed .354/.514/.646 across 27 games, leading to him signing a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays last June.</p>
<p>The Atlanta, Georgia native got off to a great start after being placed at high-A Vancouver. Across 27 games, he slashed .262/.340/.476 with four home runs. As impressively, he flashed solid defensive skills behind the plate and quickly established himself as a key player through the middle of the season.</p>
<p>Less than two months after his pro debut, he was called up to double-A New Hampshire, where he finished the season. His numbers dipped with the Fisher Cats, slashing .203/.299/.339 in 23 games. He seems destined to return to Manchester to open the 2025 season.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I can’t get enough of this Robert Brooks character man. I refuse to believe he’s not an industry plant, but he’s so god damn electric I can’t stop watching <a href="https://t.co/plJTOYZmzb">https://t.co/plJTOYZmzb</a> <a href="https://t.co/9R6xBrejVa">pic.twitter.com/9R6xBrejVa</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Johnny Giunta (@JohnnyGiunta_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnnyGiunta_/status/1900640993461846099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h3>Future Projection</h3>
<p>As a Division II player who wasn&#8217;t drafted, it&#8217;s no surprise that Brooks has struggled to generate much hype as a prospect compared to the likes of Arjun Nimmala and Trey Yesavage. However, he wouldn&#8217;t be the first player to play his way into a role on the biggest stage.</p>
<p>With the MLB Draft shrinking to 20 rounds in recent years, there are more and more guys who are carving out pro careers as non-drafted players. Schneider is a good example of a guy who would have had to take a similar route if not for the fact that there were more rounds when he was drafted (28th round, 2017).</p>
<p>Brooks&#8217; well-rounded game gives him a chance to fit in as a backup catcher in the big leagues in the coming season or two. Although he may not have a standout tool, it&#8217;s also hard to find a glaring weakness to his game. When you watch him play, it&#8217;s also obvious that he has fostered good relationships with his pitchers, displaying strong communication skills and a knack for well-timed mound visits. For many players battling for the final few spots on a roster, character traits and intangibles can go a long way.</p>
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In today's matchup with the Cardinals, Blue Jays' catcher Robert Brooks had his first big moment of the spring: a towering home run off of big league reliever Nick Anderson in the 9th inning. Although it didn't change the result (the Blue Jays lost 9-5), it may have earned him more reps moving forward.

At first glance, Brooks shares an uncanny resemblance to current Blue Jay and fan favourite Davis Schneider.

They stand at similar statures (Brooks is five-foot-eight, Schneider five-foot-nine), and each sport a mustache and prescription Oakleys look. The 26-year-old will try to follow Schneider's footsteps as a mostly unheralded prospect who plays his way into a big league role.

https://twitter.com/NotCaughtBot/status/1900996984728653874
<h3>Journey to the Blue Jays organization</h3>
After slugging an astounding 66 home runs and slashing .353/.481/.652 at Division II Columbus State, he had a standout showing in the MLB Draft League. This led to him signing a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays as a non-drafted free agent in March of 2023. Injuries limited him to just nine rookie-ball games that season, with the team deciding to release him before the 2024 season.

Brooks pivoted to the Atlantic League, routinely viewed as one of, if not the best Independent league, in North America outside of affiliated ball. He slashed .354/.514/.646 across 27 games, leading to him signing a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays last June.

The Atlanta, Georgia native got off to a great start after being placed at high-A Vancouver. Across 27 games, he slashed .262/.340/.476 with four home runs. As impressively, he flashed solid defensive skills behind the plate and quickly established himself as a key player through the middle of the season.

Less than two months after his pro debut, he was called up to double-A New Hampshire, where he finished the season. His numbers dipped with the Fisher Cats, slashing .203/.299/.339 in 23 games. He seems destined to return to Manchester to open the 2025 season.

https://twitter.com/JohnnyGiunta_/status/1900640993461846099
<h3>Future Projection</h3>
As a Division II player who wasn't drafted, it's no surprise that Brooks has struggled to generate much hype as a prospect compared to the likes of Arjun Nimmala and Trey Yesavage. However, he wouldn't be the first player to play his way into a role on the biggest stage.

With the MLB Draft shrinking to 20 rounds in recent years, there are more and more guys who are carving out pro careers as non-drafted players. Schneider is a good example of a guy who would have had to take a similar route if not for the fact that there were more rounds when he was drafted (28th round, 2017).

Brooks' well-rounded game gives him a chance to fit in as a backup catcher in the big leagues in the coming season or two. Although he may not have a standout tool, it's also hard to find a glaring weakness to his game. When you watch him play, it's also obvious that he has fostered good relationships with his pitchers, displaying strong communication skills and a knack for well-timed mound visits. For many players battling for the final few spots on a roster, character traits and intangibles can go a long way.

<hr />

<a href="https://betway.com/en/sports/grp/baseball/usa/mlb">All Toronto Blue Jays odds are brought to you by MLB betting site Betway</a>!

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-81969" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1.png" alt="" width="2218" height="666" />

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Robert Brooks is proving to be one of the more underrated Blue Jays prospects

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