The Future Is Now for Kumar Rocker and the Rangers

When you think about Kumar Rocker, what comes to mind?

Is it his massive 6-foot-5, 245-lb frame? His dominant college career at Vandy? Or perhaps it’s his being drafted 10th overall in 2021 by the Mets but failing to sign, then pitching in an independent league for the Tri-City Valley Cats before being drafted third overall in 2022 by the Texas Rangers, then needing Tommy John surgery in 2023, and finally his lightning-fast accent this season from a rehab stint in the Arizona Complex League in mid-July to his MLB debut in mid-September?

In case you were wondering, some of the above is normal with top prospects. But the combination of all of Rocker’s baseball ventures over the past few years is nothing short of captivating. Add to that the fact that the kid can throw a baseball 100 mph, and you have a recipe for excitement.

During a Rangers season that has had many positives, but an overall disappointing tone, Rocker’s call-up to the big leagues this week has Rangers fans clamoring. And for good reason.

Rocker has burst back on the scene, and he has been soaring up everyone’s top 100 prospects lists. That includes our very own at Just Baseball, where Rocker checks in at #69.

Rocker’s Brief, Yet Dominating Return from Tommy John

Returning to form after Tommy John surgery is never a given. The grind just to get back to the mound will test even the hardest of competitors. And then to be able to perform at a high level again is a whole other challenge.

Rocker first made his return with a rehab stint in the Arizona Complex League. He threw in three games, and numbers-wise, it was not good. But that isn’t what it is about when a pitcher is returning from a serious injury.

The key for Rocker was to get in games, throw pitches, and see how his body reacted both during and after.

His 6.43 ERA and .848 OPS in seven innings of work were less than impressive. Yet, Rocker felt good, and that was what mattered. After that, the Rangers decided to send the big righty straight to Double-A Frisco.

For the Roughriders, Rocker’s numbers were silly. He threw 19.2 innings across five outings with a 0.46 ERA and a slash line of .132/.169/.191. He struck out 29 and only walked three. His strike percentage was a robust 71%.

After mowing through Double-A batters, Rocker earned a promotion to Triple-A Round Rock. In two starts for the Express, he tossed 10 innings with a 1.80 ERA and a slash line against of .118/.143/.265. He struck out 18 and walked only one. Rocker’s strike percentage was also 71% during his short stint in Round Rock.

Rocker will make his next start not with the Express, but rather in Seattle against the Mariners.

Calling Up Rocker Is a Curious Move

Because of Rocker’s recent dominance, there was much chatter about whether the Rangers would, or should, call up him to the big leagues to finish out the regular season.

The question was not if he deserved the promotion or if he had the stuff to handle the top hitters in the game. The main concern was that he was still fresh off of an injury, in addition to structural constraints on the active roster.

Rocker is not currently part of the 40-man, so there will obviously have to be a corresponding move to get him on. That part isn’t abnormal, and teams regularly add top prospects to their 40-man rosters throughout the season.

But Rocker will likely only get two or three starts for the Rangers this season, so the timing is a bit strange. This move will lock up a 40-man roster spot all offseason and throughout spring training, a spot that could have been used to add and give another player a look.

Rocker would not have been eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason, so there was really no need to add him to the 40-man until the team was ready to break camp next spring. And even then, that would only have happened if he earned a spot in the rotation on the Opening Day roster.

So, with Rocker fresh off of Tommy John and easing his way back into things, it shocked some that the Rangers decided to make this move now, especially since the team is out of contention. If they were in the middle of a playoff race, it would make much more sense than having Rocker come in to mop up this lackluster year.

Another point to remember is that all of the Rangers players who are currently on the 60-day IL will either have to go back on the 40-man roster after the World Series, or they will have to be designated for assignment. Currently, the Rangers have five players on the 60-day IL, although one of those five, Jacob deGrom, will be coming off the IL on Friday.

However, the opposite effect will happen with all of the Rangers’ impending free agents. All of those players will come off the roster at the end of the season. This will open up several spots and hopefully give the Rangers plenty of flexibility throughout the offseason.

Rocker’s Journey Is Similar to That of GM Chris Young

Perhaps we should look no further than Rangers GM Chris Young’s own experience in transitioning from the minor leagues to the major leagues to get an idea of why the Rangers are doing what they are.

This move looks very similar to Young’s journey to the bigs. Young was called up at the end of the 2004 season. He made his major debut on August 24 at the age of 25; Rocker is 24 and will turn 25 in November. Through the end of the season, Young would go on to make seven starts.

Young would parlay that experience in 2004 into a solid rookie campaign in 2005. Opening the season in the rotation, he started 31 games for the Rangers that year. Through the end of June, Young had a 3.33 ERA in his first 16 starts.

He would struggle in July and August but finished strong in September. With Young having started his MLB career with a late-season call-up, it appears he wants to set Rocker up in a similar way.

Being a former player allows the GM to operate not only from a business standpoint but also to see things through the lens of a player.

Rangers Optimistic for 2025 with Kumar Rocker Promotion

One thing is for sure, the Rangers will be going into 2025 with the hope that Rocker will be a key component of their club. This call-up is all about giving him the runway to get his feet wet so he is ready to roll from the very beginning of next season.

With Jacob deGrom, Jon Gray, Tyler Mahle, Cody Bradford, Dane Dunning, Jack Leiter, and Rocker all in the rotation mix, there is quite honestly a lot to be excited about for 2025 when it comes to Rangers’ pitching.

If the organization didn’t feel like Rocker was going to be a crucial part of the big league team next year, there would be no reason to make this call-up now.

This is a long play. There are times when a club will call up a player late in the year after he has been grinding down in the minors to give him that cup of coffee in the show. This move is a far cry from that. The Rangers are trying to win an extra game or two next year by hopefully evening out Rocker’s emotions on the big stage.

Outside of the 40-man issue, this move doesn’t hurt the Rangers. And by making it, they are telling Kumar Rocker, “You are one of our dudes.” That confidence boost, along with the time spent with big leaguers over the next three weeks, could pay huge dividends for Rocker in April and May of next season.

But for now, make sure to tune in as one of the hottest pitching prospects in the game makes his debut. There is little doubt that Rocker will be bringing down the house when he takes center stage on Thursday.