Kumar Rocker
 |
| Photo: Jeff Wilson/ Rangers Today |
Bio:
Age: 24
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 245 lbs.
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Hometown: Watkinsville, Georgia
Draft Profile: 1st round, 3rd pick of the 2022 draft by Texas Rangers
Drafted Out of: Vanderbilt University
Career Stat Line: 28.0 IP 2-2 W/L 3.86 ERA 42:7 K:BB .202 AVG. 1.00 WHIP
It's Friday y'all and the Minor League Spotlight is back! A little vacation never hurt anyone but it's nice to return to the keyboard refreshed, with a premier prospect at that: Kumar Rocker.
The massive righty's journey started down in Watkinsville, Georgia where he was raised as the son of a college football coach. Due to the ever-changing nature of such a profession, Kumar's family was on the move regularly in pursuit of new and better opportunities (ESPN). In total, he lived in seven states throughout his childhood.
His father, Tracy Rocker, is a name you might've heard before: a former NFL defensive tackle who was voted into the NCAA Football Hall of Fame in 2004 after two All-American seasons at the University of Auburn (Ashof.org). He was most recently hired as the defensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans this past February, a position he'd previously held for three years in Philadelphia.
Needless to say, Kumar's 6'5", 245 build was not a fluke. Like his dad, he also found success on the football field, lettering twice for North Oconee High School's varsity team by the end of his sophomore season. Between his on-field performance and insane physical projectability, 'Coach Rock's kid' was beginning to see offers from colleges (AP). But the gridiron wasn't the only place he was shining.
In fact, it wasn't even where the young Rocker shined brightest. That spot, was the baseball diamond, where it was apparent early on that the kid had the demeanor and skillset to be a star-- so much so that his parents OK'd his decision to quit football in pursuit of his baseball dreams.
His decision looked to be the correct one almost immediately. As a junior, Kumar dominated Oconee County competition, finishing 5-0 with a staunch 1.36 ERA (MaxPreps). That summer, he competed with Team USA's U-18 team, posting a 1.93 ERA in 4.2 innings for the team en route to a gold medal (IMGStatic).
Just a few short months after that, he officially committed to the University of Vanderbilt to play collegiate ball. According to Rocker himself, it was an easy decision given the school's educational programs and track record of developing quality ball players (Online Athens). “It is something you will keep the rest of your life,” the new Commodore said. “And the chemistry you make with the people you meet there will be amazing.”
But there was still one year at North Oconee to go and Georgia's top prep baseball player was not one to disappoint. As a senior, he posted a 6-2 record with a 1.17 ERA, striking out 90 with a 0.695 WHIP over 46 innings (GHSA). The impressive numbers earned him the Gatorade's Baseball Player of the Year for the state of Georgia and Rawlings/Under Armor All-American titles.
The MLB took notice of the ascending star, with some scouts rating him as high as their #2 high school arms, but a strong commitment to Vanderbilt caused him to trickle down to the Rockies in the 38th round. Predictably, no terms could be agreed on by the two sides, and Rocker was off to college.
Without much hyperbole, his ensuing freshman year was the stuff of legends. The 19-year-old went 12-5 regular season with a 3.25 ERA and 10.9 K/9-- numbers enough to write home about (Baseball Reference). His performances earned him Baseball America Freshman of the Year honors, but it was the NCAA Tournament where he became eternal.
On June 8th, 2019, Kumar Rocker absolutely dominated Duke, throwing 131 pitches to become the first NCAA pitcher to throw a no-hitter during the Super Regionals (VUCommodores). Even more eye popping were the nineteen strikeouts he recorded along the way. In the midst of a moment that few could realistically fathom, the modest right hander barely displayed emotion. To him, the box score didn't matter, only the victory.
The win propelled Vandy to a National Championship over the University of Michigan. Kumar struck out 11 in a must-win game-two start against the Wolverines, affording the Commodores a chance to take the series in the rubber match (NCAA Baseball). It was a run that's forever etched his name into collegiate baseball lore.
Like the rest of the world, Rocker's 2020 interrupted by COVID, cancelling the season after just three starts. He was rocking a 16.9 K/9 during those appearances, a rate it would've been fun to see him sustain.
2021 was back to business though, as the junior went 14-4 with a 2.73 ERA in 20 starts. His walks were up a little from his last full season, but he was missing bats like never before, as evidenced by his 179 strikeouts and 73 hits allowed over 122 frames. Kumar was named a unanimous First-Team All-American for his efforts, also earning spots as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy. It was clear that his work at Vanderbilt was through.
A few months after the season came the MLB Draft, with a loaded class that Rocker found himself amongst the elite in. As the big night drew nearer, it was common knowledge that Henry Davis was going #1 to Pittsburgh, but it was anyone's guess how things would go from there. Vanderbilt teammate Jack Leiter went #2, then just a short wait later, with pick number 10, Kumar Rocker heard his name called by the New York Mets.
From there, things got strange. After having a $6 million dollar deal in place with New York, $1.3 million over the 10th pick's slot value, the team found cause for concern in his throwing arm (ESPN). The two went back and forth trying to find compromise on the health issue, but were unable to reach an agreement. As a result, the Mets were awarded the 11th pick in the following draft, while Rocker was set to hit the independent leagues to keep himself sharp until next July.
Kumar threw 20 innings in 5 starts during the subsequent months for the Tri-City Valley Cats. His numbers pretty closely mirrored those from his senior year at Vandy, making him an intriguing wildcard for the upcoming draft. Much like his first go-round with the event in 2021, it was truly anyone's guess where he would end up.
Come July 17th, we'd get that answer, and much to the surprise of Rocker and his family, it was even earlier than the year prior. With the #3 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, the Texas Rangers selected the former Commodore to reunite with Leiter in the team's farm system. It was a franchise he'd proudly represented before, attending his first professional game at Globe Life Park 16 years prior (Dallas News).
“I know that was my first MLB hat, a Texas Rangers hat,” he said. “That thing is torn to bits, man. It is dirty. It is worn down. So I know I wore it a lot.” Funny how things have a way of coming full circle.
Texas' top pick wouldn't pitch for in the minors during the second half of the season, instead being tasked with acclimating to pro ball at the team's spring training facilities. Come 2023, it was showtime.
Unfortunately, Rocker's first professional stint was a brief one. In six starts for the Hickory Crawdads, the third-ranked Rangers' prospect boasted a 3.86 ERA and 6:1 K:BB ratio (MiLB.com). But the building momentum came to a screeching halt when the team announced that he needed Tommy John surgery on May 16th, effectively ending his season.
Word on the street is Kumar should have a very real possibility to return to live game action by the middle of this summer (MLBbro). It'd be an excellent development for the young pitcher, who's failed to pitch a complete season since 2021. A healthy and dominant comeback could prime him to make a real push for Texas' major league roster in 2025, which is exactly what we're hoping to see!
------
@Choppinglines
*I own no rights to any images found in this blog
Comments
Post a Comment