Kumar Ruker (Photo by Sean M. Havi/Getty Images)
With the MLB draft fast approaching, it’s time to take a look at Kumar Rocker and see if he’s a legitimate pick for this year’s event.
One of the most exciting prospects in last year’s MLB draft, Kumar Ruker entered the draft with high expectations. Having started his highly successful career at Vanderbilt, he threw 19 no-strokes and won the 2019 New American Baseball title and was seen as a legitimate type of first-round pick for a player.
Once the 2021 draft came out, Rocker fell all the way to the 10th overall pick in the first round and was selected by the New York Mets. Both the team and the player had a verbal agreement in effect that would give Rocker a $6 million signing bonus which was $1.4 million more than the 10th-choice slot value.
To the surprise of many, the Mets decided not to make a formal bid for him, citing problems with his medical reports. Since Rocker had not participated in the program that would have made his medical information known to the public prior to the draft, the Mets would have been gambling with him by drafting him but eventually saw enough to decide not to sign him.
2022 MLB Draft: Will Kumar Ruker be drafted?
After a fiasco in last year’s draft, Rucker opted not to return to Vanderbilt after not signing and instead continued coaching and eventually signed with the Tri-City Valley Cats of the Frontier League.
Rocker’s presence on the roster provided some publicity to the Valley Cats while giving him a chance to show scouts and the industry as a whole that he’s healthy and ready to take off on this year’s draft.
The right-handed man was completely 22 years old dominant On his assignment with five starts in the Frontier League, showing that he’s fully prepared to go to this year’s draft. In a total of 20 innings, Rucker went 1-0 with 1.35 ERA and 32 strokes. Remarkably, he only gave up twice at home and four walks in that time. His 14.4 SO/9 is more than enough evidence that he is healthy and ready to join the MLB organization.
Rocker was regularly at the end of the first round in typical mock drafts.
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