“He Looked Really Good” | 2022 MLB Draft No.3 Overall Pick Kumar Rocker Finally In His Safe Haven

“He Looked Really Good” | 2022 MLB Draft No.3 Overall Pick Kumar Rocker Finally In His Safe Haven

by | Oct 18, 2022 | THE THREE SPOT

The last two years have been a whirlwind for Rangers No.8 prospect and the 2022 MLB Draft No.3 overall pick Kumar Rocker.

The former Vanderbilt Commodores star became the first pitcher to toss a no-hitter in the Super Regional round of the 2019 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. He also would go onto win both of his starts in the College World Series, being named MOP of the tourney.

In many aspects he was either the No.1 or No.2 pitching prospect along with teammate Jack Leiter.

 After being selected No.10 overall by the New York Mets in the 2021 MLB Draft, Rocker should have been on top of the world, about to take the Big Apple by storm and join an already talented pitching staff.

 

 

 The Mets did a complete about face and Mets decided against signing Rocker due to uncertainty about his health. Shoulder concerns put Rocker under the knife in September 2021, and it’s been a long rehab back. It didn’t take long for Rocker to move off the board in the 2022 MLB Draft.

The talented bro was selected No. 3 overall by the Texas Rangers, who are elated to bring a rare talent such as Rocker into its pitching-strapped organization. 

Rocker Makes MLB Debut In Arizona Fall League: Taking It Slow

Rocker took the mound in the AFL on October 4th. While the burly, power-pitching phenom didn’t have the command and control he’s used to having, he still showed that bulldog grit he displayed during his illustrious college career.

The velocity on Rocker’s pitches were there and the command will come.

Rangers/ Saguaros catcher Cody Freeman was thoroughly impressed with Rocker, and he raved about his what he has in his arsenal.

“He looked really good. He was around the zone a little bit, but he got back in there and pounded it. He’s going to be something special.”

“He’s a strike thrower and he has some nasty stuff, as you could tell.”

Rocker has ace abilities and the Rangers are hoping he could one day be that for their staff.

 

 

 Rocker Showed More Improvement In Second Start

 After a promising first start, Rocker was even better in his second AFL appearance. This time tossing two innings, instead of one, Rocker was more locked in and the extra inning allowed him more opportunities to test out some of his other pitches.

He struck out two batters and walked two, the walks are all a product of rust, as he just missed the third called strike on one of the walks. His fastball hovered around 94-96 MPH and maxed out at 97.

This outing he dabbled with his change-up and his best pitch, which is his slider. The pitch he overwhelmed hitters with in the CWS and made MLB scouts salivate.  

Following his performance Rocker told reporters this ….

“I was just in the zone more. The changeup was good, the slider was good. The fastball, I’m still getting the timing for that just to get everything synched up.”

Rocker says he has no expectations for his performance in the AFL. The MLBbro is just happy to be back on the mound. His minor setbacks have definitely given him an even deeper appreciation for the sport that’s provided him with so much opportunity.

“I’ve got no expectations for (the AFL). I just want to have a good time and keep winning ballgames with this team.”

Rocker is expected to take the mound four more times in the AFL, and his usage is also expected to ramp up a little more each time out.

Melanated Mound Marauders Fined For Bench Clearing Fiasco | Taijuan Walker & Jack Flaherty Are With The Sh*ts

Melanated Mound Marauders Fined For Bench Clearing Fiasco | Taijuan Walker & Jack Flaherty Are With The Sh*ts

by | Apr 30, 2022 | THE THREE SPOT

Don’t blame it on the alcohol, blame it on the bean balls.

Two MLB bros find themselves a little lighter in the pocket after wild pitching led to a bench and bullpen clearing brawl during the contentious series between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets last week.

Cardinals’ pitcher Jack Flaherty and Mets pitcher Tijuan Walker were fined undisclosed amounts for their role in the melee that followed several hit batters. You can never knock a guy for taking up for his teammate, but both Walker and Flaherty are vital keys to their team’s success and coming off injuries. I don’t think their respective front offices want them out there mixing it up and risking reinjuring their golden arm. Their bread and butter. 

Anyway…

Erratic pitching on both sides sent opposing players to first base with bruised bodies and egos Wednesday afternoon at Busch Stadium. 

READ: Three Blazin’ Bros Were Pitching The Gospel On Sunday | mlbbro.com

The Mets became frustrated during Tuesday night’s game after three players were hit by Cardinals pitchers. Things went far left on Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis thanks to wild Cardinals pitching and lingering tension from the incidents that occurred less than 24 hours earlier.

During their hump day matinee’ the Mets trailed the Cardinals 10-5 in the bottom of the 8th inning. Mets pitcher Yoan López, went high and tight with what was supposed to be a brush back pitch that almost made contact with Nolan Arenado’s helmet sending him to the dirt. 

 

 

After a few choice words things escalated between first base and the mound and it got heated. Arenado was very demonstrative and had to be restrained. 

Once they dropped gloves – MLB style – it was on from there.  The bullpens and dugouts emptied onto the diamond in St. Louis. But in classic MLB fight card fashion, no real punches were thrown. 

The Mets boast the best record in MLB as of Friday (14-6) and have been target practice at the plate for most of the young season.  Understandably, the Mets were a little salty since their hitters had been drilled a league-high 18 times coming into the game. Pete Alonso even got beaned in the head on April 27th, which surely sparked all of subsequent bad blood. 

 

 

They were hit several times in DC during their series with the Washington Nationals and apparently it was time to brush back. Lopez, a rookie, may have been answering the call after J.D. Davis was pelted earlier in the game prompting this retaliation code response.  

  “I don’t know if I would have thrown at his head but I would have hit him,” said former Mets pitcher and current TV analyst Ron Darling during the game broadcast.

We all know the Mets have a very old school manager in Buck Showalter, who understands the unwritten rules of the game as well as anybody.

 


This could make for a combative series when the Cardinals hit Queens for a four-game set starting May 16.