By Sunday 
Once a Promising Prospect, Rocker’s Struggles Raise New Concerns
Kumar Rocker’s journey from a highly touted draft pick to a struggling young pitcher has taken another rough turn this spring. Once seen as a potential ace, the former New York Mets draft selection has endured two disastrous starts, leaving the Texas Rangers with difficult decisions as Opening Day approaches.
A Rocky Path Since the Mets’ Decision
The Mets originally selected Rocker with the 10th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, only to let him walk after reviewing his medical records. Concerns over his durability led them to avoid signing him, allowing him to re-enter the draft a year later. The Texas Rangers, undeterred by the red flags, took a gamble by selecting him third overall in 2022.
Last season, Rocker made his long-awaited MLB debut, showing promise in a small sample size. Across three starts, he recorded a 3.86 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11.2 innings. It was a solid start to what many believed could be a breakout 2025 campaign. However, his early performances this spring tell a different story.
Spring Training Struggles
Rocker’s first spring training outing against the Kansas City Royals on February 25 was nothing short of disastrous. He lasted just one inning, surrendering four hits, four earned runs, and hitting a batter while managing only a single strikeout. He threw 22 pitches before making his exit.
Looking to bounce back, he took the mound again on March 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers, but the results were eerily similar. Rocker again gave up four hits and four earned runs, adding two walks and allowing a home run in just 38 pitches. His ERA for the spring ballooned to an alarming 36.00 after facing just 16 batters.
Concerns Over Workload and Development
One of the primary reasons the Mets backed away from Rocker was their concern about his heavy college workload at Vanderbilt. He threw 122 innings in 2021, which still represents a significant chunk of his total professional workload across the independent leagues, minor leagues, and MLB combined.
The Rangers, eager to develop their young arm, accelerated his rise through the system. Rocker logged just 28 innings in the minors in 2023 and 36.2 more last season before getting a brief taste of the big leagues. While his flashes of brilliance were undeniable, his inconsistency and lack of sustained success raise questions about whether he was truly ready.
Did the Mets Make the Right Call?
It’s still too early to definitively say whether the Mets dodged a bullet by passing on Rocker. Their compensation pick in 2022, catcher Kevin Parada, hasn’t exactly thrived in the minors, making the decision less clear-cut.
However, Rocker’s current struggles suggest the Mets’ initial concerns were valid. While one bad spring doesn’t define a career, his inability to find consistency early in 2025 raises concerns about whether he can live up to his pre-draft hype.
For now, the Rangers must decide whether to let Rocker continue to struggle at the MLB level or send him back to the minors for further refinement. Either way, his tough spring has cast doubt on what was once a bright future.