Kumar Rocker finds himself anticipating draft night for a third and final time.
Back in 2018, he was one of the top high school pitching prospects in the MLB Draft. He was taken by the Rockies in the 38th round, with the assumption that it would not be easy to sign him away from his commitment to Vanderbilt, which proved correct.
Following a standout career at Vandy, Rocker was the No. 6-ranked prospect in the 2021 MLB Draft class according to MLB Pipeline and thus was expected to be one of the first players taken. The Mets selected him 10th overall, and the two verbally agreed to a contract that included a $6 million signing bonus, per the New York Post.
Only, it wasn't to be. Post-draft medical concerns caused New York to back out. The Mets received a compensatory pick in the first round of the 2022 draft for not signing Rocker, who had to put his MLB hopes on hold for another year.
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Now, he's waiting for a third opportunity to join the professional ranks and sign with an MLB organization.
The Sporting News takes a look at why the Rocker deal with the Mets fell apart, why he's back in the draft and where he might be taken.
Why didn't Kumar Rocker sign with the Mets?
When Rocker was selected 10th overall by the Mets, there was no reason to believe the right-hander wouldn't sign with them. But on Aug. 1, 21 days after the first round, the deadline for the Mets to reach an agreement with Rocker came and went without a deal.
MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reported that New York was concerned about Rocker's medicals, and while it could have negotiated below the $6 million verbal agreement, there was enough concern for the team to not make an official offer. It opted instead to receive the No. 11 pick in the 2022 draft as compensation.
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DiComo reported that Rocker began to experience dips in his velocity during his junior year but that it started to head back up near the end of the season.
Rocker reportedly did not consent to a program where medical information about pitchers in the draft is shared. If shoulder or elbow issues were listed in his report, then that would have harmed his draft stock. Had he agreed to share info, the Mets would have been required to offer him at least 40 percent of his $4.74 million slot value; because he did not, New York did not have to extend any offer.
Under MLB rules, Rocker had to go through the 2022 MLB Draft to be signed by a team. The rule is meant to prevent players from declining an offer from the team that drafts them, becoming a free agent and signing for bonuses above the capped slot values.
Rocker's agent, Scott Boras, said in a statement to DiComo that Rocker had no significant medical issues according to multiple prominent baseball orthopedic surgeons and required no medical attention.
But in September 2021, Rocker underwent shoulder surgery, MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis reported.
Kumar Rocker's Frontier League stats
After not receiving an offer from the Mets, Rocker had the option to return to Vanderbilt, where he had two years of eligibility remaining. He chose instead to sign with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the independent Frontier League in May and showcase himself.
BREAKING NEWS: We've agreed to terms with Vanderbilt standout and College World Series champ RHP Kumar Rocker!#VamosGatos #Forthe518 pic.twitter.com/nuOKJebfAt
— Tri-City ValleyCats (@ValleyCats) May 13, 2022
Rocker made five starts for Tri-City and found plenty of success. In 20 innings, he pitched to a 1.35 ERA with 32 strikeouts, four walks and 11 hits allowed. He did not pitch more than five innings in any of his starts.
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Kumar Rocker's place in MLB mock drafts
Despite the concerns last year about his medicals, Rocker is back near the top of most MLB big boards. TSN lists him as the No. 22 prospect, MLB Pipeline lists him at No. 38 and Baseball America has him at No. 20.
Here's where several mock drafts have Rocker landing:
- TSN: White Sox, 26th overall
- MLB Pipeline: Rays, 29th overall
- Baseball America: Angels, 13th overall
- ESPN and The Athletic: Red Sox, 24th overall
