By 1981, Rhomberg was playing with the Class AA Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League. That year he led the Southern League in hits (187), triples (14), stolen bases (74), batting average (.366) and on-base percentage (.457); he finished second in runs scored (104). After the 1981 season, the Indians traded second baseman Duane Kuiper to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Ed Whitson. Indians vice president Phil Seghi named Rhomberg as one of two players likely to become the starting second baseman on the 1982 Indians.