Top Rangers pitching prospect dazzles in pro debut

Pitcher Kumar Rocker. Benjamin Chambers/Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Top Rangers pitching prospect Kumar Rocker dazzles in long-awaited pro debut

By Michael Carpenter | Last updated 4/14/23

It's been a wild ride for Rocker since bursting onto the scene in 2019. After finishing his career at Vanderbilt, he was not offered a contract by the New York Mets — who selected him 10th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft — due to medical concerns.

He had shoulder surgery and pitched in the Frontier League to prove he was healthy enough to play. He showed enough on the mound that the Texas Rangers drafted him third overall in the 2022 MLB Draft.

While he was held out for the remainder of the 2022 season, Rocker was able to finally take the mound as a pro in 2023. Pitching five scoreless innings and striking out eight batters, Rocker showed the ability to pump strikes while maintaining that wipeout slider he's always possessed.

Kumar Rocker, the @Rangers' No. 9 prospect, had it all working in his @MiLB debut last night.

More details: https://t.co/MtcZHW3d6p pic.twitter.com/PX2wNlrGik
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 12, 2023

Reunited with former Vanderbilt teammate Jack Leiter, who the Rangers selected second overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, Rocker has leaned on Leiter to learn how to go about himself now that he is a professional.

In an interview with MLB.com's Kennedi Landry, Rocker said, "It's just being with him, getting to learn from him and seeing what he's learned. I know he had a full Double-A season, and I'm just taking what I can from him... There's not a lot of times you get to play with old teammates this early in your career."

Leiter added, "We've fantasized about being on the same big league staff for a while now... It is special being able to watch a competitor like him do his thing — and then go out and do my thing a night or two later."

With all they accomplished together at Vanderbilt, you know they will push each other to do great things when they make it to Texas together.

Putting on that Vanderbilt jersey, they became . @KumarRocker ✖️ @jackleiter22 #eVerythingU | #VandyBoys pic.twitter.com/I85bOdbrnN
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) July 12, 2021