Kumar
Rocker

2022 MLB Draft: No. 1 on our final Draft Board last season, Rocker was selected 10th overall by the Mets, and had reportedly agreed to a $6 million signing bonus — pending a physical examination. However, Rocker's physical revealed multiple concerns by the Mets in his right arm and he did not sign. He has pitched this summer for the Tri Valley Cats of the Frontier League, posting a 1.35 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. At his best Rocker has everything you want in a pitching prospect with size, stuff, athleticism, pitchability and makeup. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and armed with plus command of a 94-97 mph fastball, a plus-plus 83-85 slider and a plus-plus 87-90 cutter, Rocker is loaded with weapons. His fastball can overwhelm hitters. His gyrospin slider is always a factor, and his cutter could also be his best offspeed pitch. On top of his elite arsenal, Rocker is smart, confident and aggressive, taking ownership of the mound and batter's box. He's a bona fide Major League starter and should zoom to the big leagues in a hurry.

2021 MLB Draft: What more can be written? Rocker has everything you want in a pitching prospect with size, stuff, athleticism, pitchability and makeup. At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds and armed with plus command of a 93-96 mph fastball, a plus-plus 83-85 slider and a plus-plus 87-90 cutter, Rocker is loaded with weapons. His fastball can overwhelm hitters. His gyrospin slider is always a factor, but his cutter is his best offspeed pitch. On top of his elite arsenal Rocker, is confident and aggressive, taking ownership of the mound and batter’s box. He's a bona fide ace and should zoom to the big leagues in a hurry.

6’5” 245. Strong durable pitcher’s body. FB 94-97. Quality FBs in the zone with good life. Ability to miss barrels and blow people away. Slider 82-85. Tight, hard late with sharp diving action. Break can be big and wipe out RHH. Change 78-81 has good arm speed deception and sink. Throws plus changes which bottom drops out. Durability still touching 97 in 7th inning when needed to. See as potential No. 1 starter at ML level. (Slowik)

What more can be written about our top-ranked college prospect for the 2021 draft. He’s earned this status the past two seasons and entered this season’s SEC Opener having not allowed an earned run in 2021. Despite another dominant outing, he did not leave with his perfect ERA still intact, but he did exit with a victory as he battled South Carolina ace Thomas Farr to a 3-2 W. Rocker has everything you want in a pitching prospect with size, stuff, athleticism, pitchability and makeup. At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds and armed with plus command of a 93-96 mph fastball, a plus-plus 83-85 slider and a plus-plus 87-90 cutter, Rocker is loaded with weapons. On this look the life and velocity of his fastball overwhelmed most of the Gamecock lineup. His gyrospin slider was a factor, as it always is, but his cutter was his best offspeed pitch in six of his eight innings. On top of his elite arsenal Rocker was confident and aggressive, taking ownership of the mound and batter’s box. He finished with 14 strikeouts and 30+ swing/misses of his 116 pitches (82 for strikes). With continued good health, look for Rocker to maintain his position atop our 2021 prospect rankings and be strongly considered at 1-1 by the Pirates this July. Digging into the data: Rocker's off speed and velocity help to elevate a fastball which may play a tick down based on movement and approach angle from his release point.

Rocker has everything you want in a pitching prospect with size, athleticism, stuff and makeup. At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds and armed with plus command of a lively mid-90s fastball and a plus 82-85 mph curveball, Rocker became a household name in the 2019 CWS with his masterful, 11 strikeout performance against Michigan in Game Two of the best-of-three championship series. With continued good health look for Rocker to maintain his position atop the 2021 rankings and be considered at 1-1 when the draft rolls around next summer.

5/3/18 - An imposing figure on the mound, the 6-foot-6, 260-pounder has very long arms and is a good athlete. As a scout, you love his size but struggle to find major league comparisons for his unique build. He has a clean arm that works out of high ¾ slot relying on angle over life. Although he ran his fastball into the mid-90’s in this one, Rocker pitched off of his breaking ball at 77-81.  He gets caught in between a curveball and slider at times, but flashes good shape and bite. The unteachables and upside are immense, but patience will be a large part of his development.

8/24/17 - Named to Team USA 18U team.

7/29/17 - 93-96 with finish. He showed two breaking balls at 82-83—one with sharp 12/6 break and depth and another with more tilt. He struck out one in his inning of work.

7/10/17 - Named to Team USA 18U trials roster.

6/27/17 - Started and went four innings, allowing no hits and two walks while striking out five. His fastball ranged form 91-95, sitting mostly at 92-94 with heavy, riding life that induced weak contact. His breaking ball was 82-84 with power, sharpness and depth. His changeup sat in the high 80s. Rocker is a Vanderbilt recruit and has a big, durable frame at 6-foot-5, 259 pounds.

7/2016 - The 6-foot-4, 233-pound Rocker is a monster on the mound, which is to say extremely physical, defined lower half, wide shoulders, long arms and, above all, athletic for his size. The ball comes out of his hand easily, as in it looks like he’s wrist-flicking 92-93 mph fastballs. You don’t need to have a Walt Disney-like imagination to think he will be tickling triple digits down the road. He also flashed some feel for his 76-79 slider, which was erratic in shape, but showed signs of being an effective pitch in the future. With all that said, Rocker struggled with the strike pitch in his stint and yielded a hit.