Rangers Call Up Kumar Rocker Uniting Former Vanderbilt Duo in Major Leagues

The Texas Rangers have called up their number two overall and top pitching prospect Kumar Rocker to make his major league debut on Thursday against the Seattle Mariners. The right hander has had a difficult journey to this point but now joins former Vanderbilt teammate Jack Leiter in the Ranger rotation to usher in a new generation of Texas arms.

Rocker was a superstar in college in his three seasons at Vanderbilt. He went 12-5 in 2019 with a 10.3 K/9 rate in a national championship run with the Commodores over the Michigan Wolverines in Omaha. 

Rocker would post a 1.80 ERA in three starts in the 2020 season, and would then post a 2.73 ERA and a 13.2 K/9 rate in his final season in 2021. He showed ace pitcher potential with an untouchable fastball and would go third overall to the Rangers in the 2022 draft. That pick was a long time coming however as Rocker would be drafted a year prior by the New York Mets tenth overall, but wasn’t signed due to concerns over his health and medicals.

Due to not being signed Rocker would end up playing some of the 2022 season in the Frontier League with the Tri-City ValleyCats. Rocker looked incredible in his five starts in the Frontier League, recording a 1.35 ERA, and a 14.4 K/9 rate that resulted in him shocking the rest of the baseball world going third overall in 2022.

Rocker was given great grades on his four pitches, with his slider grading out the highest on MLB Pipeline at a 70 out of 80. His fastball and curveball registered 60 grades while his changeup followed behind at a 50. 

In his two seasons in the minor leagues, Rocker has looked to have developed into a great professional pitcher. He’s posted a 2.78 ERA in those two seasons, with a 13.5 K/9 rate, a 1.7 BB/9 rate, and a 0.6 HR/9 rate.

Rocker will reach his ceiling in the major leagues if he can maintain this control. Graded with average control coming into the minor leagues, Rocker’s seemed to develop his control well along with his ability to limit the long ball, allowing only two home runs in nine starts and 36.2 innings pitched.

He has an elite pitch mix with two swing-and-miss pitches with his fastball and slider that will tear through lineups for years to come if he can stay healthy. He has the frame and tools to be a front of the line starter, and that’s exactly what the Rangers expect out of their 2022 third overall pick.

Rocker now joins his former teammate Jack Leiter in the major league rotation. The chemistry will surely benefit the two in the clubhouse and that is something Rangers fans are definitely hoping translates to the rest of the Rangers roster.

While Rocker was once considered to be too risky to even sign for the Mets, he’s taken a rather unlikely route and proved that his athleticism and skill on the mound is undeniable, and that it can’t keep him out of the majors any longer.

Rangers fans and scouts are about as excited for Rocker as you can get for a pitching prospect. While the outlook on the postseason isn’t looking great for the Rangers, this is certainly a bright spot for next season. Rocker joins an exciting rotation that should be competitive in the American League West in 2025. 

Photo credit: (Photo by Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos)