The Texas Rangers are calling up right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker from Triple-A Round Rock later this week, and he'll make his major-league debut on Thursday at T-Mobile Park against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. Rocker, the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has a 1.96 ERA over 10 games between the Arizona Complex League, Double-A Frisco and Round Rock this year after returning from Tommy John surgery. It's nice to see the 24-year-old former Vanderbilt product making his MLB debut the same season he returned from elbow reconstruction, but fantasy managers looking for streaming options should temper their expectations despite the tempting matchup in Seattle against the M's. The Rangers reportedly want to keep Rocker to around 50 total innings for this season, and he's already thrown 29 2/3 frames in the minors.
Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young said on Sunday that the team isn't ruling out the possibility of right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker making his major-league debut this year. Rocker the club's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, made his return from Tommy John surgery this year and has been looking great down on the farm ever since. In three stops between the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock, he has posted a shiny 1.96 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP and a 55:5 K:BB in 36 2/3 innings over 10 appearances (nine starts). Max Scherzer (shoulder) and Jacob deGrom (elbow) are also working their way back from injuries and plan on pitching for the Rangers before the season is over, though, so it remains to be seen if Texas will have a spot for Rocker for an MLB debut of one or two starts down the stretch.
Texas Rangers pitching prospect Kumar Rocker shined in his debut at Triple-A Round Rock, tossing five scoreless innings in which he allowed just one hit and no walks while striking out a career-high 10 batters. After dominating Double-A competition to the tune of a 0.46 ERA (one earned run in five starts), 0.61 WHIP, and a 36.6% K-BB% in 19 2/3 innings pitched, the 24-year-old was promoted to Triple-A for a crack at some tougher opposition. Still, it was Rocker who came out on top again. The former first-rounder got a late start to the season recovering from Tommy John but is looking like the force to be reckoned with that he was expected to be before succumbing to injury. It might be a stretch to think he'll see the majors at this point in the season, but his arrow is certainly pointing way up for fantasy.
Kumar Rocker Fans Eight In Another Dominant Outing
Texas Rangers pitching prospect Kumar Rocker was excellent again on Wednesday for Double-A Frisco, tossing 4 2/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out eight. The 24-year-old has now made five starts at Double-A, posting a 0.46 ERA (one earned run in 19 2/3 innings), allowing nine hits and three walks while striking out 29. The former first-round draft pick began his season late after recovering from Tommy John surgery but certainly looks ready to take on Triple-A hitters. That's likely where he'll start next season, but it's looking more and more like he'll be ready to make his MLB debut, so even redraft managers should be filing his name away in anticipation of him taking the next step in 2025.
Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Kumar Rocker looked sharp in his second outing at Double-A on Friday evening as he allowed just one hit across four shutout frames. He surrendered only one free pass while striking out four. The 24-year-old underwent Tommy John Surgery last season but has already begun to settle in at the upper levels of the minor leagues. Rocker was originally drafted by the Mets in 2021 but failed his physically and then was taken by the Rangers the year after. Injuries have limited his playing time, but it looks like the right-hander is now settling in at the higher levels of the minor leagues. Rocker has high upside and is worth paying close attention to in dynasty leagues, as he could spend most of next summer at Triple-A.
Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Kumar Rocker tossed three shutout frames on Friday evening in his Double-A debut. He allowed just one hit and struck out four. Rocker has been limited by several injuries throughout his minor league career and recently returned to the mound this season in July in the Rookie League. Prior to this, he logged only 28 innings last summer due to undergoing Tommy John surgery. Rocker has had an interesting journey through his young career as he was drafted with the tenth overall pick in 2022 by the New York Mets but was unable to sign after failing his physical. Then, in 2023, he was selected by the Rangers with the third overall pick. The 24-year-old is a name to keep a close eye on in dynasty leagues, as he has elite potential despite the numerous injury setbacks he has endured over the past two years.
Texas Rangers right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker (elbow) will start his rehab assignment and make a start in the Arizona Complex League on Friday. It will be Rocker's first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of last year. The 24-year-old former third overall pick in 2022 out of Vanderbilt is the team's No. 3 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline. Rocker made six starts for High-A Hickory in 2023 before his injury and went 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with a nice 42:7 K:BB in 28 innings pitched. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder also had shoulder surgery in 2021, so he's already had his fair share of injuries early in his career. His bread and butter is a wipeout slider. Rocker is rather old for a prospect with limited experience in the minors and probably won't debut in the big leagues for another few seasons.
Both Texas Rangers right-handers Tyler Mahle (elbow) and Kumar Rocker (elbow) threw bullpen sessions off the game mound recently for a biomechanical evaluation. Both Mahle and Rocker had their Tommy John elbow surgeries on May 22 of last year. A year later, both Mahle and Rocker are beginning to throw off a mound again, but they both still have work to do before they are cleared to start facing live hitters in games. Neither Mahle nor Rocker are likely to return to game action until after the All-Star break in mid-July. The 29-year-old Mahle had a solid 3.16 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 28 K's and five walks in his five starts for the Twins last year before going down. Rocker, the club's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will also be hoping to return to minor-league games in July, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to join the big-league club in 2024.
Texas Rangers right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker (elbow), who is just past his one-year anniversary of elbow surgery, is throwing at Globe Life Field on Friday and could face live hitters shortly. The 24-year-old was reportedly throwing from 120 feet in late February in his throwing program while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last May. Once Rocker starts throwing off a mound to live hitters, he may not be that far off from going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The Rangers surely aren't going to rush the third overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft out of Vanderbilt, but Rocker is hoping to be pitching in live games around midseason. He only made six minor-league starts for High-A Hickory last year and went 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with seven walks and 42 K's in 28 innings. The team's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, probably won't be an option to make his big-league debut until 2025.
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (elbow) is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the 2023 season. The right-hander has been diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right elbow and will undergo Tommy John surgery. A tough blow to the 23-year-old who looked solid through his first four starts this season. Rocker held a 3.86 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 42/7 K/BB ratio over his 28 innings of work in High-A Hickory. He's expected to miss the rest of this season and the beginning of the 2024 campaign while recovering.
