Texas Rangers Prospect Kumar Rocker Eyeing Mid-Summer Return To Mound Following Tommy John Surgery
Just five years ago, Texas Rangers prospect and former top-five pick Kumar Rocker was celebrating a College World Series win with his Vanderbilt Commodore teammates.
Rocker was the talk of the baseball world after pitching a no-hitter against Duke in the Super Regionals and allowing just two runs while striking out 17 in just over 12 innings pitched against Michigan in the CWS.
That type of play helped Rocker become the 10th overall pick of the New York Mets in the 2021 MLB Draft. Things with the Mets went up in smoke after the draft when the club expressed concern over Rocker’s elbow during a physical.
As a result, the Mets and Rocker ultimately decided not to continue their negotiations of a deal which also included a hefty $6 million signing bonus. That meant Rocker would be eligible to be drafted in the 2022 MLB Draft.
Rocker Goes No.3 To Rangers In 2022 MLB Draft
When you’re as talented as Rocker, teams will be chomping at the bit to draft you, and that’s exactly what happened the next year when the Texas Rangers made Rocker the No.3 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft.
Maybe the Rangers were onto something as the Rocker who despite his collegiate pedigree was a surprise pick by the Rangers at No.3 with his injury concerns. And the $5.3 million signing bonus he received was a bit under the $7.6 million allotted for that spot, but it showed that the Rangers believe Rocker has the “IT” factor.
In many ways, the Mets were correct to scale back the big signing bonus as test indicated there was definitely something wrong with Rocker’s arm.
Rocker’s injury last season which occurred after six solid starts in High-A (3.86 ERA, 42 strikeouts and just seven walks) in 28 total innings at the time was described as acute meaning he tore a ligament in his elbow on a specific pitch. In other words, he needed Tommy John Surgery.
As Rucker continues to work his way back the talented hurler knows it’s a slight chance he’ll be back by mid-summer, but he won’t see his first full season of professional ball until 2025, when he’ll be 25-years-old.
5 K night for @KumarRocker. pic.twitter.com/iEkRmtF6uO
— Rangers Player Development (@TEXPlayerDev) November 9, 2022
Rocker In Last Stage Of Rehabilitation
The 6-foot-5 and 245 pounder is set to pick up his mound activity with the hope of returning to the diamond this summer. An excited Rangers assistant general manager Ross Fenstermaker recently told reporters at The Dallas News this about Rocker’s prognosis.
“We are really excited. It’s coming out so free and easy when the ball leaves his hand.”
Good news for the Rangers — the defending World Series champions — who can’t wait to team Rocker with his former Commodores teammate Jack Leiter, taken No.2 overall in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Recent Comments