VALLEYCATS KUMAR ROCKER SELECTED 3rd OVERALL IN MLB DRAFT
The Texas Rangers have selected Tri-City ValleyCats RHP Kumar Rocker with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
Rocker signed with the ValleyCats in May in preparation for this year's draft, before debuting for the team at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on June 4th. In 5 starts for the 'Cats, the star right-hander tallied a 1.35 ERA in 20 innings pitched with 32 strikeouts, 4 walks, 11 hits, 3 earned runs, and a 14.40 K/9. Rocker earned the first professional win of his career in his final outing for the ValleyCats on July 1, spinning 5 dominant innings, allowing 2 hits, striking out 7, walking 1, and not allowing an earned run.
"The ValleyCats are ecstatic for Kumar and his family," said ValleyCats Vice President and General Manager Matt Callahan. "We were honored to be a part of his journey and look forward to seeing him reach the big leagues. The Rangers got a good one!"
Rocker is set to join the same organization that ValleyCats skipper Pete Incaviglia made his MLB debut with. In 5 seasons with the Texas Rangers, Incaviglia tallied a .248 batting average with 607 hits, and 124 home runs.
When Kumar makes his Major League debut, he will do so under the guidance of former Frontier League player and coach Brendan Sagara. Sagara currently serves as the co-MLB pitching coach for Texas. He helped lead Evansville to the 1999 West Division title as a player. Sagara later served as pitching coach for Dubois County, Kenosha, Springfield-Ozark, Windy City, Evansville, and Southern Illinois. Sagara was named Coach of the Year in 2007 when he helped guide the ThunderBolts to the league title. He also led Dubois County to the 2001 and 2002 West Division championships.
The 22-year-old Rocker, went 28-10 with a 2.89 ERA in 42 appearances (39 starts) over three seasons at Vanderbilt University, including a 19-strikeout no-hitter in the 2019 NCAA Super Regional against Duke.
